equality act

appa's philosophy is a higher standard of equality for all and so where legislation supports this it's vital for our clients to understand the current legal position.

below, you'll find comprehensive information on the Equality Act 2010 and what it means for us all.

if you need further information about the Equality Act or need clarification on any of the points below, please get in touch with us at appa - this is our area of expertise!

the Equality Act?

the Equality Act came into effect in October 2010. the Act brings together and strengthens the various separate pieces of equality and anti-discrimination legislation (116, to be precise!) that have been passed since 1970.

as a single law, the Equality Act provides the UK with an up-to-date, unified legal framework that protects all individuals from discrimination, disadvantage and unfair treatment, and promotes a fair, more equal society for us all.

we won't list the full 116 pieces of legislation (and various amendments) here, but there are nine main pieces of legislation that have been merged to create the Equality Act 2010. they are:

• Equal Pay Act 1970
• Sex Discrimination act 1975
• Race Relations Act 1976
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
• Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2003
• Equality Act 2006, Part 2
• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007

Equality Act key dates

whether you're a client of appa's, a service user elsewhere, or run a business or organisation that has employees, you may find some or all of the information on key dates useful - or even essential:

• 26 June 2008: Harriet Harman, Leader of the House of Commons, announced the new Single Equality Bill
• 27 April 2009: the Equality Bill completed its parliamentary process, as MPs approved all amendments
• 8 April 2010: the Equality Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament
• 1 October 2010: the majority of the Act came into force from this date (see legal dates below for more detail)
• April 2011: further provisions are scheduled to come into force from this date (see dates below for more detail)

legal dates

the following is information about the timeline for the different sections of the Equality Act to have legal effect, and the timeline for publication of the practical guidance and legal codes of practice:

employment, equal pay, and services, public functions and associations

• October 2010: came into force
• July 2010: guidance published
• January 2011: code of practice published

education (further and higher education)

• October 2010: came into force
• July 2010: guidance published
• Summer 2011: draft code of practice published to be laid before parliament 

education (schools)

• October 2010: came into force
• July 2010: guidance published
• Summer 2011: draft code of practice published to be laid before parliament 

public sector equality duty

• April 2011: comes into force
• January 2011: guidance published
• Summer 2011: draft code of practice published to be laid before parliament

age protection outside the workplace

• April 2012: expected to come into force

as you take on board the information above, please be aware that some of the projected dates given may change, as detailed regulations are awaited. the schools code of practice and the public sector equality duty code of practice may be particularly affected here.

please also note that there may be differences in the publication timetables of these codes of practice between England, Scotland and Wales because each is a separate jurisdiction and separate regulations may exist.

how the law has changed

here are just some examples of how the law has changed with the passing of the Equality Act.

the Equality Act achieves the following:

• strengthens disabled individuals' protection from discrimination
• protects people from discrimination by association and perception
• provides a Single Public Sector Equality Duty, covering the following 8 protected characteristics:
• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion and belief
• sex
• sexual orientation
• positive action in recruitment and promotion, giving greater scope to address deficits in the workforce
• strengthens the powers of employment tribunals
• strengthens protection for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers
• bans discrimination in private members' clubs 

other areas not yet covered by the Equality Act

the areas outlined below are elements of the Act that did not come into force in October 2010 but may become law in the future. we are awaiting updates from the government on how things develop.

examples of areas that have not yet come into force are:

• dual discrimination
• duty to make reasonable adjustments to common parts of leasehold and commonhold premises and common parts in Scotland
• provisions relating to auxiliary aids in schools
• diversity reporting by political parties
• public sector Equality Duty (following the recent consultation on specific duties) 
• provisions relating to taxi accessibility
• prohibition on age discrimination in services and public functions
• family property
• civil partnerships on religious premises

we will, of course, make any new developments available to you, so do keep in touch with us. we're always delighted to hear from you!