Introducing the Equality Act 2010, the UK government reformed and combined anti-discrimination legislation into one single act for nine “protected characteristics”: disability, age, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, as well as pregnancy and maternity. Its comprehensiveness derives not only from the range of the protected groups, but also from the areas covered by the Act, which include nearly all the functions of public authorities and the private sector. Its overall objective is to eliminate discrimination, to increase equality of opportunity, and to build good relations. It clearly states that the failure to comply with the reasonable adjustment duty constitutes unlawful discrimination. Particularly in the non-employment context, two promising tools for tackling discrimination can be found: the public sector equality duties, and the anticipatory reasonable adjustment duty. This last appears to have inspired the European Commission to include a similar anticipatory duty in its draft of the Goods and Services Directive.
Internet: www.non-discrimination.net
