Discrimination means treating a person unfairly because of who they are or because they possess certain characteristics. If you’ve been treated differently from other people only because of who you are or because you possess certain characteristics, you may have been discriminated against.
Don't suffer in silence. Our team of professional advisers can help you determine whether you have been discriminated against and how best to pursue a claim. Firstly, with your employer through their grievance & harassment issue resolution policy (if appropriate) or through the legal system if that’s the best route. These issues can be complicated but we can walk you through your options and provide legal advice and representation where appropriate.
The Equality Act (2010) is an Act of UK Parliament covering England, Scotland & Wales. The Act consolidated and updated several other pieces of anti-discrimination legislation. For example, you may have heard in the past about the Disability Discrimination Act (1995). Having a single piece of legislation makes things simple. In Northen Ireland, equality law remains across several pieces of legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) Regulation (Northern Ireland) (2004).
The Equality Act (2010) defines a list of nine 'protected characteristics' which are specific aspects of people's identities. It's unlawful to discriminate against someone because of these protected characteristics:
You’re also protected from discrimination if:
From time to time, issues can crop up at work. Whether it's the work we do, the work environment or other colleagues. But nobody should face unfair treatment, discrimination, bullying or harassment in the course of doing their work. The good news is that there's a process for resolving these types of complaints.
It’s important that everyone has the opportunity to talk about their concerns if they feel they've been treated unfairly or inappropriately at work.
Talking about dealing with complaints can sometimes feel overwhelming and challenging because it can mean putting ourselves in an exposed and vulnerable position. But dealing with a grievance doesn't need to be scary - that's where we come in. We'll support you through the process and ensure you know what options are available to resolve your issue.
Problems at work can often be resolved informally in the first instance. The quicker and closer to the problem the better. But when someone’s intimidated or offended you, it’s not always that simple, and in more severe situations it may not be appropriate to address through informal means.
Whether you choose to address it informally, or through the formal process we’ll give you advice on how to put your complaint together and we’ll represent you at any hearings. You’ll need to be clear what your complaint is about, supply evidence to support it and be clear about what you want your employer to do about it – being as specific as possible.
Nobody should face unfair treatment, discrimination, bullying or harassment in the course of doing their work. Your employer is responsible for preventing bullying, harassment & discrimination – they’re liable for any harassment suffered by their employees.
Don’t suffer in silence. Find out more in our interactive eBite or contact your local officer to discuss your situation.
Our guide will provide you with guidance on:
We've got a wealth of information available on our website, including what support is available, useful resources and contacts and template letters if you need to resort to raising a complaint about discrimination of unfair treatment.
Here are some other resources which you might find useful:
Write a grievance or appeal complaint letter
Disability discrimination
Have a disability and want to know more about your rights at work?
Redundancy & discrimination
Been selected for redundancy and feel you've been discriminated against?