]
]
Home Page > Equalities and Diversity > Current Legislation
]

CURRENT LEGISLATION - EQUALITY ACT 2010 

The Equality Act 2010 is the law which bans unfair treatment and help achieve equal opportunities in the workplace and in wider society.

 

The Act replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single act to make the law simpler and to remove inconsistencies.  This makes the law easier for people to understand and comply with.  The Act also strengthens protection in soem situations.

 

When did the Act come into force?

Most of the provisions of the Act came into force in October 2010.  Further provisions came into force in April 2011.

 

The Act covers nine protected characteristics which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly.  Every person has one or more of the protected characteristics, so the Act protects everyone against unfair treatment.  The protected characteristics are:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage and civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation

Who does the Act apply to?

All public sector organisation, including Melton Borough Council, are legally required to adhere to the Public Sector Equality Duty, which outlines practical ways in which the authority or organisation can meet its legal obligations under the Equality Act.

 

The Council has general and specific equality duties under the Act.  The general duties require us to have due regard in all we do for the need to eliminate discrimination and other forms of 'prohibited conduct'; advance equality; and promote good relations between groups who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

 

The specific duty requires us to publish information each January to demonstrate how we are meeting our general duties.  We must also publish equality objectives by 6 April 2012.

 

You can find out more about the Equality Act 2010 and the equality duties from the following websites:

 

Equality and Human Rights Commission

 

Government Equalities Office

 

Office for Disability Issues

 

Equality Information: the public sector equality duties

Equality information is published by the Council and its partners in a variety of ways:

 

Leicestershire District Councils Equality & Diversity Partnership Single Equality Scheme 2011-2014

Single Equality Scheme (PDF, 285KB)

 

Melton Borough Council Corporate Plan 2011-2015

 

Equality Impact Assessments

 

 

 

 

 

 

]