Posted by: Suzanne Motherwell
on Jun 01, 2012
The public sector equality duty came into force in April 2011 and replaced the gender equality duty. The new specific duties have just come into force in Scotland. Unions reps will need to know how to use the new duties for the benefit of their members and to ensure equality in the workplace.
Posted by: Emma Ritch
on May 18, 2012
Close the Gap is concerned about the UK Government’s announcement of measures that may dilute existing equalities legislation. ‘Red Tape Challenge’ was a UK Government web-based consultation on current legislation, carried out with the specific aim of reducing so-called bureaucracy, and which attracted comments from the general public as well as from employers, and equalities organisations. Following this exercise, the Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, Theresa May, announced yesterday that the government will review the ‘effectiveness’ of the public sector equality duty, and is minded to remove some existing legal protections for employers, and to reduce the role of employment tribunals.
The review, which will take a form that is yet to be announced, will cover the general public sector equality duty and the specific duty. This will have implications for Scotland, as the general duty covers Scotland and Wales as well as England. This review follows hot on the heels of the introduction of the general duty; the specific duties have not yet been implemented in Scotland.
May also announced a proposal to scrap equal pay questionnaires which provide individuals with information that can be used to take forward equal pay grievances and tribunal cases. She also announced the Government’s intention to remove the ability of tribunals to make recommendations to employers about changes to their employment practices. This would remove one of the only measures that tribunals have to address discrimination that is embedded, usually unwittingly, within the pay systems of employers.
Posted by: Anna Ritchie
on Oct 14, 2011
The UK coalition government has announced that it is to delay the planned increase in state pension age to 66 until October 2020.
Posted by: Suzanne Motherwell
on Jun 02, 2011
Lynne Featherstone, Minister for Equalities has recently released a statement to reassure stakeholders that the inclusion of the Equality Act 2010 on the Red Tape Challenge website does not mean that the Government wishes to abolish it.
Posted by: Suzanne Motherwell
on Jun 01, 2011
As discussed in a prior blog post, the aim of the Red Tape Challenge website is to seek your views on the ways in which to, primarily, rid business of the burden of regulations and the bureaucracy associated with them.
Posted by: Suzanne Motherwell
on May 19, 2011
The UK Government are asking businesses, organisations and the public to take part in the Red Tape Challenge.
Posted by: Anna Ritchie
on Apr 06, 2011
The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 came into force on 3 April 2011 and mean that fathers* are now entitled to up to six months’ paternity leave on top of the two weeks to which they are currently entitled.
Posted by: Anna Ritchie
on Mar 02, 2011
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that insurance companies will no longer be able to use sex as a factor to determine premiums.
