Handling Discrimination in the Workplace
Discrimination is the unequal treatment of an individual or a number of individuals who are considered protected under the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 works to protect employees from any form of discrimination and there are certain ‘protected characteristics’ which include age, religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy or maternity, race, gender, marital status and gender reassignment.
Discrimination can have a negative impact on one’s career, confidence and mental health and therefore should not be overlooked.
There are four different ways in which one may suffer from discrimination:
- Direct discrimination – this implies that an individual is being treated differently to others due to their ‘protected characteristics’ e.g. a woman not getting a promotion due to her gender.
- Indirect discrimination – this is when there are certain measures in place that apply across the board, however are unfair to you due to your protected characteristics. E.g. your company have all their employees work a 9-5; however you have a disability, which means you need to travel outside of rush hour.
- Harassment – this is unsolicited behaviour towards an individual which is related to a protected characteristic that creates an offensive environment. E.g. comments based on gender or religion.
- Victimisation – this is when an individual is treated unfairly due to their complaint against discrimination or harassment. E.g. not being invited to work events due to the fact you called out a colleague’s racist language.
Make A Note of Everything
From the moment you begin to notice you’re being discriminated against, make a record of everything that is being said, done or sent to you electronically or physically.
Keep a diary with what was said, when it was said and the wording , specifying the discriminatory comments or actions. Include who was there when the comments were made.
Moreover, you may feel like discarding of any evidence, such as photos or emails, but this is what will prevent a ‘he said/ she said’ quarrel. All of this can be used as evidence in court.
CONTACT US
Here at Versus Law, we have helped thousands of clients throughout Manchester – and across the UK – to help support those who are being discriminated against in the workplace. If you would like legal advice regarding any form of discrimination because of a protected characteristic, contact us today on 0161 504 7563 or email us at info@versuslaw.co.uk.
We can help you to identify any claims you may have, advise on time limits, your employers liability and discuss your settlement options.
We offer a range of funding options available to assist you and in some cases, we can offer a ‘no win no fee’ arrangement.