Equality Act 2010
At Gilded Hollins we support and uphold the responsibilities set out by the Equality Act 2010.
Everyone in Britain is protected by the Act. The “protected characteristics” under the Act are (in alphabetical order):
Age
Disability
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion and belief
Sex
Sexual orientation
The Equality Act 2010 states that people are not allowed to discriminate, harass or victimize another person because they have any of the protected characteristics. There is also protection against discrimination where someone is perceived to have one of the protected characteristics, or where they are associated with someone who has a protected characteristic.
Discrimination means treating one person worse than another because of a protected characteristic (known as direct discrimination), or
Putting in place a rule, or policy, or way of doing things, that has a worse impact on someone with a protected characteristic than someone without one when this cannot be objectively justified (known as indirect discrimination).
Harassment includes unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which has the purpose or effect or violating someone’s dignity, or which creates a hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for someone with a protected characteristic.
Victimization is treating someone unfavourably because they have taken (or might be taking) action under the Equality Act 2010, or supporting somebody who is doing so.
Further information on the Act can be found on the Equality Act 2010 page.
The Equality Act and explanatory notes are on the Home Office website.