Gscene News Archive

Equality – including LGBT equality – will become a duty for all public bodies under landmark legislation published today (April 27) by Minister for Equality and Labour Party Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman.

The Equality Bill, will tackle inequality in all its forms – including age discrimination, gender pay-gaps, and economic inequality – will strengthen protection for the LGBT community by creating a new equality duty on all public bodies to tackle discrimination.

The Bill goes further than originally promised in Labour’s 2005 election manifesto and gives public bodies a proactive duty to promote equality, with protection for all minorities being “levelled-up”.

Katie Hanson, LGBT Labour co-chair, said:
“This Bill is a real mark of how far we have come. Twenty-one years after the introduction of Section 28 – vicious Tory legislation that Labour repealed in 2003 – the Equality Bill is set to give teachers a duty to promote equality in the classroom, and to stop homophobic bullying.

“The Bill will also mean many of the protections won in the last decade will be strengthened and expanded – for instance the laws that currently protect LGBT people from discrimination will be extended to cover the trans community. We really welcome this ambitious legislation and will be campaigning to make sure it gets through Parliament.”

Citizens Advice Chief Executive, David Harker, said:
"Citizens Advice warmly welcomes the Equality Bill. The Bill is a landmark piece of legislation that will improve workplaces and services for many thousands of people.

“Citizens Advice Bureaux have seen a 17% increase in employment discrimination enquiries in the past year. The Equality Bill will make it easier to challenge the discriminatory practices that cause hardship and distress to so many individuals.

"Unfair practices also make it difficult for legitimate businesses to compete. In times of recession, equality is more important than ever. It is essential that there is a level playing field and that we draw on everyone's talents."

However, a coalition of charities is calling for an amendment to the Bill to reduce major discrimination faced by job seekers with ‘invisible’ conditions such as mental illness or HIV.

Leading mental health charity Rethink, HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust and NAT (National AIDS Trust) want to see health-related questions banned until after a job offer has been made. The only exception would be for questions directly related to the position applied for. Employers would still be able to ask in advance about conditions, which would affect a candidate’s ability to undertake that particular role.

Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, says: Under the current system, employers can ask an applicant whether they have a disability, are taking medication or have a medical condition – even if it has no relevance to the job. This has led to 'unacceptable under-the-counter discrimination' say the charities, and offered a 'licence to discriminate' for bad bosses.

"If someone has a condition which won't affect their ability to do a job there's no reason it should be declared before an offer is made. Currently someone with HIV might be the best candidate but could be turned down because an employer makes assumptions about their health. We want to see a level playing field, where someone with a stigmatised condition has an equal chance of getting a job. Employment decisions should be based on ability, not prejudice."

For more information view:
www.lgbtlabour.org.uk/equalitybill
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
www.tht.org.uk