I have discussed the prohibition on pre-employment health enquiries imposed by the Equality Act before on this blog. Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 imposes a prohibition on an employer making health related enquiries of a prospective employee. Section 60(1) states (1)A person (A) to whom an application for work is made must not … Continue reading Covid-19: License to discriminate?
Category: Direct discrimination
Lying employer shifts burden of proof in discrimination claim.
I have been tempted in the past to establish a 'hall of shame' feature on the blog to highlight the depths some employers will go in their treatment of employees based on public decisions of their conduct in caselaw. If I were ever to do so Base Childrenswear Ltd would surely stake a claim for … Continue reading Lying employer shifts burden of proof in discrimination claim.
The return of Efobi? The burden of proof in discrimination claims.
In February I made reference to the unfortunate decision of the Court of Appeal in Royal Mail Group Ltd v Efobi [2019] IRLR 352 to overturn the Employment Appeal Tribunal's earlier interpretation of section 136 of the Equality Act 2010 that made it easier decision to establish that the burden of proof at which a … Continue reading The return of Efobi? The burden of proof in discrimination claims.
Direct Discrimination: Defences
It is a couple of months since I promised the last post in my brief series on direct discrimination with a summary on an employer's defence to direct discrimination claims. Life got in the way, etc. But first a recap, section 13 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out that that no employer can treat … Continue reading Direct Discrimination: Defences
Direct Discrimination: Burden of Proof
In this third post on direct discrimination I am going to comment on the role of section 136(2) of the Equality Act which provides that when considering a discrimination complaint that If there are facts from which the court could decide, in the absence of any other explanation, that a person (A) contravened the provision … Continue reading Direct Discrimination: Burden of Proof
Direct Discrimination: Causation
In this second post I want to give some thoughts on causation. As explained in the last post, direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated worse than another person because of a protected characteristic. It is not, therefore, enough that a black worker has been treated less favourably than a white worker by being … Continue reading Direct Discrimination: Causation
Direct Discrimination: Reason and Intention
Over the next couple of days I will be posting a four part series on direct discrimination, specifically on the role of intent, causation, proving discrimination and what defences are available. It is not a detailed explanation but an introduction to these four aspects. To someone who has not had personal experience of the legal … Continue reading Direct Discrimination: Reason and Intention
Eye of the Beholder
It is well known that the Equality Act recognises nine 'protected characteristics.' In the majority of cases the claim will require that a person holds that protected characteristic to bring a claim. Thus, one cannot make a claim in the employment tribunal that your employer indirectly discriminates against older workers if you are in fact … Continue reading Eye of the Beholder