Home
>
Political
>
Employment Legislation: Proposed Employment Law Changes - To Take Effect 1 October 2005

Employment Legislation: Proposed Employment Law Changes - To Take Effect 1 October 2005

Proposed changes to the Sex Discrimination Act ("SDA") 1975 and the Equal Pay Act ("EPA") 1970 under the amended Equal Treatment Directive (2002/73/EC) will be implemented on 1 October 2005. To ensure that your company's policies comply with these proposed reforms please contact us at enquiries@rtcoopers.com.

The proposed changes to the law will be applicable to all employers and providers of vocational training:

As of 1 October 2005, there will be a new definition of indirect sex discrimination in employment matters and vocational training. Indirect sex discrimination will occur when an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice that applies to all workers or applicants causes particular disadvantage to certain sections of women or men. To avoid or succeed against a complaint of indirect sex discrimination, an employer will have to justify that a provision, criterion, practice or policy that it employs, and which causes such disadvantage, meets a business aim and is an appropriate means of meeting this aim.

For the first time, there will be a cause of action under the SDA for harassment on the grounds of the complainant's sex. The new provision will apply to the areas of employment and vocational training only. New explicit provisions will be included to ensure that women are protected from discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy.

The geographical coverage in the SDA and EPA have been extended, so they now cover employees who work for British organisations outside Great Britain (GB) in relation to recruitment, terms and conditions, pay, promotion, transfers and dismissals.

An employer will have the right to refuse to offer a particular job to someone who was intending to undergo, was undergoing or had undergone gender reassignment. However, such a refusal must now be reasonable. The SDA protection will be extended to cover vocational guidance and unpaid practical work experience.

The SDA will be amended to prescribe an eight-week time limit for the employer or training organisation, for example, to return the questionnaire in cases of discrimination or harassment in employment and vocational training. The proposed changes to the law applicable to certain employers, certain providers of vocational training and those who appoint office holders:

An exception in the SDA, which permitted partnerships and trade unions to discriminate on grounds of sex in the provision of death and retirement benefits to their partners and members respectively, will be removed. There will now be further protection against discrimination for office holders.

Ministers of religion will now be protected by the SDA, not only where they are employees, but also where they are office holders. If you require further information contact us.

Email: enquiries@rtcoopers.com

? RT COOPERS, 2005. This Briefing Note does not provide a comprehensive or complete statement of the law relating to the issues discussed nor does it constitute legal advice. It is intended only to highlight general issues. Specialist legal advice should always be sought in relation to particular circumstances.

Rosanna Cooper is a partner in RT Coopers Solicitors a full service law firm in London. The firm specialises in employment law including advising employers and employees on redundancies, dismissals, discrimination, grievance and disciplinary procedures, suspensions and breach of contract claim. The firm represents clients before the employment tribunal.

Airbnb cleaning service Glenview ..

In The News:

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

Employment Legislation: Proposed Employment Law Changes - To Take Effect 1 October 2005

Political