Equality Act to generate rise in employment disputes, claim
lawyers
The implementation of the Equality Act will spark a rise in the
number of employment disputes as people become more aware of their
rights, lawyers are claiming.
The act, which was implemented on 1 October after more than five
years in the pipeline, combines existing discrimination legislation
on sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and
age.
Morrison Foerster London employment head Ann Bevitt said,
“Bringing together all the legislation is very helpful. There’s
greater harmonisation and more clarity.”
But, lawyers are warning that the employment tribunal will be
busier than ever as higher numbers of workers take to the courts to
test the boundaries of the new legislation.
In the long term, however, defendant lawyers say that the new
act will help to reduce red tape by clarifying existing law and
encouraging transparency and consistency in approach.
But claimant employment lawyers say that the act has not gone
far enough, with the Government failing to include key measures
that would advance the rights of the individual. The original
equality bill included plans to force private companies to be
transparent on pay but they were thrown out by the Government.
Russell Jones & Walker Solicitors associate Samantha
Mangwana, “It’s ambitious as a piece of harmonising legislation but
it’s for employers rather than employees.
“It does include measures to improve rights but those are a tiny
proportion of the act,” she added.