EMPLOYMENT LAW
Discrimination and Equality

Course Programme

• Introduction and welcome
• Overview of discrimination in the UK
  
  • Origins of discrimination law
  • Scope of the law in the UK - sex, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation and age
  • Introduction to the key concepts - direct and indirect discrimination
  • Victimisation
  • Proving discrimination
  Disability Discrimination
  
  • Who is disabled?
  • Making reasonable adjustments
  • Dealing with disability-related absence
  • Stress and disability
  Maternity and family rights
  
  • Dealing with pregnant staff
  • Women on maternity leave - the need to keep in touch
  • Handling requests to return part-time
  • Managing employees with child care responsibilities - key danger areas for managers
  Dignity at work
  
  • What counts as harassment or bullying
  • When is the employer liable?
  • How managers can be made personally liable
  • Risky behaviour - avoiding harassment and bullying claims
  • Dealing with complaints from employees
  Case Study Exercise: Religious belief in the workplace
  
  • In a detailed case study that will draw together many of the themes explored earlier in the day delegates will be presented with a hypothetical scenario. An employee alleges that the religious views being expressed by a colleague are offensive and amount to harassment. The task for delegates is to determine how to strike the appropriate balance between the conflicting rights of employees - and minimise the risk of any tribunal claims.
  Key issues in dealing with discrimination
  
  • Responding to complaints of discrimination and harassment
  • The relevance and importance of policies on equality and diversity
  • The public duty to promote equality: equality schemes