Discrimination at work – an introduction

Discrimination at work occurs if you are treated unfairly in the course of your employment because of a protected characteristic, such as your age, race, sex or disability (among others). You are also protected from being sexually harassed at work and are subject to strict protections if you are pregnant or on maternity leave. You can find out in our guides what your rights are and what you can do if you believe that you have been discriminated against by your employer or your colleagues.

A short introduction to discrimination law

Discrimination in the workplace occurs if a worker is treated detrimentally because of a ‘protected characteristic’ that the worker (or a third party) possesses. In this guide we briefly explore the concepts of:

1. What a protected characteristic is;
2. What types of discrimination can occur in the workplace; and
3. Who can pursue a claim for discrimination in the workplace

Protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010

There are nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010:

1. Sex: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) sex
2. Age: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) age
3. Race: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) race
4. Disability: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) disability
5. Sexual orientation: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) sexual orientation
6. Gender orientation: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) gender orientation
7. Pregnancy and maternity: discrimination because of your (or someone else’s) pregnancy or period of maternity leave
8. Marriage or civil partnership: discrimination because you (or someone else) is married or in a civil partnership
9. Religious or philosophical belief: discrimination because of you (or someone else’s) religious or philosophical beliefs

Types of discrimination

There are various types of discrimination that can occur in the workplace – these are as follows:

Who can sue for discrimination in the workplace?

Job applicants, employees, workers, contractors, police officers and partners (among others) are protected from being discriminated against in the workplace because of a protected characteristic that they (or a third party) possess.