Sex Discrimination

It's unlawful for your employer to discriminate against you by treating you differently from other employees because of your sex, because you are married, because you are pregnant or because you have had, are having or intend to have gender reassignment.

Sex discrimination laws protect both men and women.

Discrimination may take any of the following forms:

Direct discrimination - where your employer treats an employee less favourably on grounds of sex e.g. recruiting a man instead of a woman on the grounds of gender.

Indirect discrimination - where your employer applies a policy or working practice of a type where the proportion of the one sex who can comply with it is smaller than the proportion of the opposite sex who can comply with it e.g. setting a minimum height.

Victimisation - where your employer treats you unfairly because you have made or assisted in making a complaint about discrimination.

Harassment- where your employer behaves in an offensive manner (or allows others to do so) e.g. allowing displays or distribution of sexually explicit material.

Pregnancy related discrimination - where your employer  treats you less favourably due to your pregnancy.

Marital discrimination - where your employer discriminates on the grounds of their marital status (including civil partnerships).

Your employer may be liable for the discriminatory acts of its employees even if they were done without the employer's knowledge

If your employer has discriminated against you we can help you to make an application to an employment tribunal for compensation and to help you ensure that the unacceptable behaviour is brought to an end.

A tribunal claim must be made within three months of the discriminatory act taking place so its important that if you have been the victim of discrimination that you contact us now.