The new Equality Bill will create a step change in opportunities in modern Britain. Ensuring diversity – both by protecting vulnerable groups where necessary and by building their capacity in the workplace – is essential if we are to cre  More...
03 July 2008 17:02

The government White Paper on the Equality Bill was published on 26 June 2008. And although it doesn't go as far as some employers had originally feared, the clear message is that the government is committed to working to achieve equality in the workpla  More...
02 July 2008 16:07

The Equality Bill promises the biggest shake up in discrimination law since the 1970s. Its provisions will have serious repercussions for employers, especially with regard to positive discrimination, openness on pay and the extension of age discrimi  More...
02 July 2008 15:59

Will the Equality Bill allow employers to effectively tackle the inequalities that still persist in many British workplaces? No. Let's be honest - positive action is discrimination. Whether it is justifiable or, indeed, necessary is a totally   More...
02 July 2008 15:55

Harriet Harman will unveil the first draft of the Equality Bill before Parliament today - potentially paving the way for positive discrimination in the workplace. Several reports claim the equalities minister's White Paper will force companies   More...
26 June 2008 11:21

I manage a women-only driving school. I recently discovered one of my new instructors is a transsexual and was formerly a man. This doesn't bother me, but some clients might mind. Legally, where do I stand and what are the implications?  Putting  More...
10 June 2008 00:00

Colleges and universities are failing to write race, gender and disability equality schemes and action plans as required by law, according to the sector's main union. The University and College Union (UCU) wants to see the Equality and Human Ri  More...
29 May 2008 09:55

A major shake-up of discrimination laws is expected to be announced in Gordon Brown's draft Queen's Speech today. Brown will outline the long-awaited Single Equality Bill, on a list of measures to be introduced during the 2008/9 Parliamentary sess  More...
14 May 2008 09:10

Diversity chiefs have insisted they are actively tackling the challenges of sending lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) staff to countries where homosexuality is strongly frowned upon. Globalisation means that private sector firms and government departme  More...
21 April 2008 09:03

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has finally published its single equality scheme  – three months late. All public authorities have a duty to produce an overarching equality scheme, setting out their position for staff on rac  More...
02 April 2008 09:59

A charity that campaigns to provide a "secure base for Britain's minority ethnic communities" has called for effective leadership to promote diversity, after a poll revealed that almost nine in 10 recent graduates have experienced some kind of discrimin  More...
01 April 2008 09:04

In the recent case of English v Thomas Sanderson Blinds, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that a man who had been subject to homophobic 'banter' could not bring a claim for harassment under the sexual orientation regulations, because he was no  More...
13 March 2008 10:29

English v Thomas Sanderson Blinds Ltd, Employment Appeal Tribunal  More...
10 March 2008 12:26

The HR manager at the firm embroiled in a high-profile gay banter case has attacked the "ludicrous" tribunal claim by an ex-employee. Former sales manager Stephen English claimed to have suffered years of gay taunts from colleagues at the company ev  More...
07 March 2008 14:40

Homophobic banter directed at an employee who was not gay, and who his "tormentors" knew was not gay, does not amount to sexual orientation discrimination, a court has ruled. Mr English brought a claim against his employer Thomas Sanderson Blinds   More...
26 February 2008 00:00

A new service has been launched to help local authorities boost their levels of diversity awareness. The government's Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) is to provide peer reviews to help councils meet level three of the Equality Standard  More...
14 February 2008 10:10

A gay Christian man who won his case for unlawful discrimination against the Church of England has been awarded more than £47,000 in compensation. An employment tribunal ruled John Reaney was discriminated against on grounds of sexual orientat  More...
11 February 2008 14:01

Employers will need to tighten up discrimination and flexible working policies following a landmark disability decision, which is almost certain to give rise to new rights for millions of workers, legal experts have warned. An advocate-general at the  More...
04 February 2008 08:01

Express coach service Stagecoach has strongly denied any homophobia within the group and defended its commitment to equal opportunities and diversity, following accusations of a lack of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) s  More...
25 January 2008 10:48

News and analysis in the human resources sector including: alarming news on news EU proposals for health and safety the potential for shared HR services in the higher education sector the decision of the employment tribunal brought by a CBe  More...
18 January 2008 14:55

The Army could be facing a payout of almost £400,000 after a lesbian soldier's claim for sex discrimination and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation was upheld in court. An employment tribunal in Leeds ruled that Kerry Fletcher had her  More...
17 January 2008 11:06

A children's television actor who played a character in the CBeebies show In the Night Garden is claiming unfair dismissal against the programme's makers. Isaac Blake told an employment tribunal in Birmingham that he was forced off work after  More...
15 January 2008 10:44

The public sector dominates the top spots in a table out today of the most gay-friendly employers in Britain. National crime reduction charity Nacro comes top, followed by the Greater London Authority, with Hampshire and Staffordshire police  More...
09 January 2008 11:11

Human resources news and analysis including: a look at what 2008 has in prospect for employers the first major tribunal outcome of the year - a heterosexual employee has won damages regarding her sexual orientation a new government cam  More...
04 January 2008 13:35

A bouncer has been awarded more than £6,000 damages after she was harassed by colleagues for being heterosexual. Sharon Legg, a bouncer at Dreams gay club in Bournemouth, was repeatedly called "breeder" by her boss and frequently the subject of abus  More...
04 January 2008 12:20

Religion and sexual orientation discrimination McClintock v Department for Constitutional Affairs FACTS Mr McClintock served as a Justice of the Peace and was a member of the Family Panel. As part of his duties, he had to decide whether child  More...
20 November 2007 08:42

Gay rights groups have expressed concern over the appointment of Joel Edwards as one of the commissioners to the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Edwards, general director of the Christian group Evangelical Alliance, joined   More...
08 November 2007 14:40

An employment tribunal has heard how a lesbian soldier was harassed for sex by a male sergeant. Lance bombardier Kerry Fletcher was reportedly sent a text message by the sergeant, who told her she should have "a real man someone like me"  More...
08 November 2007 12:59

Few would deny that, despite major reforms, more needs to be done to help tackle workplace discrimination. Trevor Phillips , in his first major speech as chair of the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), has called for the government   More...
05 November 2007 08:00

A number of lower-ranking officers in the Royal Navy have threatened protest resignations following a lift on the banning of gay personnel in the military, according to a secret document obtained by The Times. The newspaper reported that soldier  More...
15 October 2007 15:24

The financial cost to employers of unfair practices, and the extent of the ethnic, disabled and gender pay gaps were brought to the fore last week after a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference held by equality advisory organisation Committed  More...
01 October 2007 15:12

The trade union representing staff at the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which comes into being today (1 October), has warned the body could be undermined by a lack of cash. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has ex  More...
01 October 2007 11:45

Peter Lewis, a former senior banker at HSBC, has lost his long-running claim that the banking giant discriminated against him because he was gay. Lewis, HSBC's former head of global equities, claimed the bank had mishandled an investigation into all  More...
18 September 2007 16:00

Newham Council's head of Human Resources has defended its decision to ask employees whether they are gay. Susan McNally insisted that the sexual orientation question on a recent survey proves the London authority's commitment to equal treatment.  More...
17 September 2007 10:15

Two HR professionals are expected to speak as witnesses in an employment tribunal into claims that HSBC discriminated against a gay member of staff when investigating allegations that he performed an indecent sex act. Lawyers acting for Peter Lewis,  More...
07 September 2007 09:45

Global law firm Clifford Chance has settled a claim of sexual orientation discrimination filed by one of its former partners, it has been reported. Michael Bryceland made his claim in November 2006, which involved direct and indirect discrimination   More...
22 August 2007 09:30

Gay equality group Stonewall is encouraging employers in the private sector to enter its annual Workplace Equality Index for 2008, showcasing the UK's top 100 employers for gay people. Technology firm IBM topped the list for 2007 , followed by last   More...
10 August 2007 14:35

A gay man refused a job by a Church of England bishop has won his case for unlawful discrimination. An employment tribunal ruled John Reaney was discriminated against on grounds of sexual orientation by the Hereford dioce  More...
23 July 2007 10:33

The government has published a consultation on the Discrimination Law Review , which aims to modernise discrimination legislation. It includes proposals for a Single Equality Bill that would will put the law on equality and discrimination   More...
12 June 2007 12:40

Employees who have tried to resolve disputes about discrimination under new equality regulations have ended up facing demotion, dismissal, mental health problems and even contemplated suicide, research has found. In the first study of the impact of t  More...
22 May 2007 16:10

Rob Moss, Mike Berry and Louisa Peacock preview this week's Personnel Today, including stories on the Leitch review, equal pay and the HR director who says that sacking people is easy. Click on the audio player below to listen to a brief round-up of  More...
21 May 2007 07:21

Two lesbian nurses have been awarded up to £500,000 in compensation after they were sacked because of their sexuality. Margaret Durman and Penny Smith were dismissed by private care homes operator  Barchester  Healthcare after accusations that they   More...
16 May 2007 12:16

Keeping diversity issues within the context of your business is the key to implementing a successful equality strategy, the Learning and Skills Council has found. The education and training body gathered valuable feedback from minority groups i  More...
10 May 2007 12:50

Nearly half of the UK’s estimated three million homosexuals do not reveal their sexuality to all those they work with, according to research released today. And one in 10 gay men and one in eight lesbians have been harassed at work in the past year b  More...
10 May 2007 12:36

Gay people face a 'pink plateau' similar to the glass ceiling that prevents women making it to the top levels of business, according to gay rights groups. "There are very, very few gay people in senior positions," Ben Summerskill, chief executive o  More...
08 May 2007 12:00

City employers are beginning to overcome their traditional image as inhospitable places for gay and lesbian staff, research has shown. Financial services recruiter  Joslin Rowe surveyed 3,676 candidates for City roles over the past two years, and co  More...
02 May 2007 09:40

A number of issues have been raised by the recent stream of cases dealing with the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations. For example, in  Martin v Parkam Foods ( Personnel Today , 17 October 2006), the employer was criticised for fai  More...
24 April 2007 00:00

Allegations of bullying, physical assault and name-calling dominate tribunal claims for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, research has found . Complaints of less favourable treatment by managers were also present, includi  More...
11 April 2007 10:00

The upcoming Equality Act has thrown public sector employers into a spin over pay and conditions. What are they doing to tackle the issue? Ross Bentley finds out.  More...
27 March 2007 00:00

Thames Valley Police force is launching a new staff support association for gay and lesbian officers and staff. Thames Valley Gay Police Association was set up after a gap in the provision of local support for gay and lesbian staff was identified  More...
15 March 2007 17:15

A gay employee who lasted just eight days in a job after being bullied about his sexuality has won almost £120,000 compensation. Jonah Ditton, 32, from Paisley, was sacked as media sales manager for Glasgow-based listings producer CP Publishing afte  More...
13 February 2007 15:35

The recent debate on how the new sexual orientation equality laws will affect the stance of Catholic adoption agencies has highlighted the need to ensure your own house is in order.  More...
06 February 2007 00:00

IBM has been named the UK's most gay-friendly employer, according to an annual survey . Gay equality group Stonewall has published its annual Workplace Equality Index , showcasing the UK's top 100 employers for gay people. Top emp  More...
10 January 2007 13:00

Jessica Bussert, a transsexual who claimed that she was forced to quit a high-powered job at Hitachi Data Systems after having surgery to become a woman, has lost her £500,000 claim . Bussert, formerly known as Josh, was seeking compensation fr  More...
08 January 2007 11:30

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has found that a homosexual HSBC banker was not fired on the grounds of his sexual orientation. Peter Lewis, former head of HSBC 's global equity trading business, claimed he was dismissed by the bank in Fe  More...
19 December 2006 15:05

A transgender P&O Ferries   crew member has been awarded £65,000 in compensation after a tribunal ruled that she has been driven out of her job by taunts from co-workers. Drusilla Marland said she was accused of flirting with  More...
18 December 2006 12:15

Sexual orientation discrimination  More...
17 October 2006 00:00

The former HSBC banker who lost his £5m tribunal case, claiming he was fired for being gay, has been granted leave to appeal. In May a tribunal found that HSBC had discriminated against Peter Lewis but he was not dismissed because he was homosexual  More...
13 October 2006 10:58

A gay man who was suspended for complaining about homophobic graffiti in the men's lavatories at work has won his case for constructive dismissal. Chris Martin, a former employee of Parkam Foods in West Yorkshire, complained to his managers after fin  More...
15 September 2006 16:00

Last month, nine Scottish firefighters were disciplined for refusing to attend a gay pride event. But is it right to expect employees to take part in something that contradicts their moral beliefs?  More...
12 September 2006 08:00

Employers should review their employment practices, policies and procedures to ensure that they do not either directly or inadvertently give rise to discrimination claims   More...
11 September 2006 18:00

Joel Ceausu looks at how corporate America is becoming more gay-friendly  More...
22 August 2006 00:00

P&O asserts that claimant was only interested in compensation  More...
10 August 2006 12:38

Gay men face considerably lower wages than their heterosexual colleagues and are less likely to be in work, research reveals  More...
28 July 2006 11:17

A gay care worker has won an employment tribunal claim for unfair dismissal because of his sexual orientation.  More...
26 July 2006 14:46

Scotland’s fire service is launching a nationwide drive to recruit more gay officers in an attempt to shed its "macho" image  More...
25 July 2006 11:56

When the Commission for Equality and Human Rights comes into being the unions are expecting to play an important role in its regional outposts.  More...
18 July 2006 08:01

A former senior HSBC banker is seeking leave to appeal against an employment tribunal ruling that he was not sacked because he is gay.  More...
06 July 2006 12:02

Tackling homophobia requires shift in society's attitudes, according to Brendan Barber.  More...
29 June 2006 09:59

Tribunal claims for discrimination based on gender identity are still rare in UK tribunals. However, the recent claim brought by a transsexual against Hitachi Data Systems – thought to be one of the biggest ever discrimination claims – has highlighted the difficulties for employers in dealing with transsexuals in the workplace.  More...
13 June 2006 00:00

A gay man who demanded £5m compensation from HSBC bank for discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation has lost his case at tribunal.   More...
05 May 2006 16:00

The European Court of Justice has overruled UK law and said that transexual women should be able to claim their state pensions at the same age as other women  More...
27 April 2006 14:12

Gay charity teams up with TUC to provide revised information about sexual orientation discrimination.  More...
13 April 2006 08:48

Sir Ian Blair defends decision to quiz officers on sexual orientation.  More...
06 April 2006 12:47

The Royal Navy is to allow gay and lesbian sailors to march in uniform for the first time at this year’s EuroPride event in London, in a bid to showcase what an inclusive employer it is.   More...
17 March 2006 11:46

Bank colleague defends role in sacking of gay HSBC employee.  More...
17 March 2006 10:15

A City banker who claims he was sacked by HSBC for being openly gay is suing for £5m at a landmark employment tribunal this week   More...
06 March 2006 11:31

Employers in Scotland are being urged to take a stand against homophobic bullying in the workplace.  More...
21 February 2006 10:39

Anti-discrimination policies must take into account the rights of transsexuals to be treated according to their acquired gender at work.  More...
08 February 2006 08:01

Half of all UK lesbians and gay men feel they are unable to reveal their sexuality to their colleagues, according to recent research  More...
16 January 2006 08:27

European court likely to find Department for Work and Pensions guilty of discrimination against transsexual.  More...
15 December 2005 13:01

A gay policeman has agreed to drop a discrimination case after the Norfolk police force paid him £30,000.  More...
08 December 2005 10:27

New laws giving same-sex couples the right to enter into an equivalent of marriage are a reminder to employers to promote diversity in the workplace, according to employment law advisers Croner  More...
05 December 2005 10:34

Sexism and homophobia are still widespread in the police service, according to a study for the Home Office.   More...
02 December 2005 11:10

Anti-gay discrimination in hotels and restaurants is to be banned as part of the Equality Bill currently going through the House of Lords.  More...
10 November 2005 10:05

A homosexual hotel manager has lost his claim for unfair dismissal because he had sent "filthy" Christmas cards to members of staff.  More...
20 October 2005 08:18

Lobby group Stonewall has launch a gay guide to recruitment  More...
14 October 2005 14:43

Paul Menham of law firm Gordons outlines what the Employment Equality Regulations 2003 mean for employers and staff  More...
21 September 2005 15:00

At present, gay and lesbian couples cannot have their relationships legally recognised in the UK. Partnership registration schemes, offered in some cities, provide a formal ceremony for same-sex couples, but confer no legal status on the couples involved. But this is set to change  More...
30 August 2005 00:00

Eilidh Wiseman, head of employment at Dundas & Wilson, explains what employers should do to reduce the likelihood of being taken to a tribunal under the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003  More...
30 August 2005 00:00

A scheme aimed at asking policemen and women to reveal their sexual orientation may be rolled out across the UK after a successful trial period.  More...
11 July 2005 16:00

Voluntary organisations have been presented with a £2.5m fund to raise the employee awareness of equality legislation.  More...
16 June 2005 08:30

The police service’s gay, black, female and disabled support associations boycotted the diversity debate at the Police Federation’s annual conference   More...
27 May 2005 14:10

A banker is suing HSBC for £5m, claiming the bank fired him for being gay  More...
27 April 2005 13:30

Employers can win claims of breaches in human rights if they show they took justified and proportionate steps  More...
26 April 2005 01:00

The Department for Work and Pensions is consulting on a proposed amendment to sexual equality regulations which will ban employers from discriminating against the partner of an employee who is in a same-sex relationship  More...
11 April 2005 13:30

Social attitudes have changed considerably since the European Court imposed the first employment protection for transsexual people, which came into effect in UK law in 1999. Yet many 'trans' people continue to experience problems in their places of work, writes Stephen Whittle.  More...
06 April 2005 10:00

A Cornwall MP has been cleared of claims that a research assistant was asked to "dig up dirt" on the sexuality of a political opponent. Falmouth MP Candy Atherton had denied the allegations and an employment tribunal found in her favour. Paul Phi  More...
23 March 2005 14:15

A former employee who claims he was sacked because he is gay is taking a claim for unfair dismissal against high street bank HSBC to an employment tribunal.  More...
15 March 2005 09:00

Same-sex couples will be allowed the same employment benefits as married employees from December, under legislation to be introduced later this year.  More...
09 March 2005 09:00

The advert attracted complaints from a voluntary organisation that supports women firefighters and the Fire Brigades Union  More...
04 March 2005 11:00

A single equality and human rights commission will be set up in 2007, the government is expected to confirm today  More...
03 March 2005 10:15

The first homosexuality-based workplace discrimination case against a City firm will be heard by a tribunal later this week.  More...
21 February 2005 12:09

The Royal Navy has become the first section of the British armed forces to join a scheme protecting gay rights.   More...
21 February 2005 09:23

Employment tribunal awards damages to homosexual manager who was mocked by his colleages   More...
04 February 2005 10:30

Although the law forbids discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation homophobia persists and exercises aimed at improving minorities' work environment could be counter-productive  More...
02 February 2005 09:30

A manager at an international waste disposal company has brought the first claim under sexual orientation legislation which came into force in 2003. Robert Whitfield, 28, told an employment tribunal he had been forced out of his £54,000-a-year job at   More...
25 January 2005 11:58

Just 50 per cent of employers have trained their staff on new discrimination legislation, according to research by Personnel Today's sister title, IRS Employment Review  More...
25 January 2005 00:00

Don't let big business hijack your sexuality  More...
18 January 2005 00:00

New rules are in force for transgendered people  More...
18 January 2005 00:00

A group of lesbian prison officers transferred from Holloway Prison after allegations that they ran a regime of sexual harassment, bullying and intimidation claimed they had been made scapegoats for a jail which had been failing for 50 years. Claiming  More...
13 January 2005 10:56

British Council tops the gay lobby group Stonewall's index of gay-friendly employers.  More...
10 January 2005 15:05

Alarm bells could replace Jingle Bells for employers holding Christmas events this year if they fail to prepare for a number of 'party pitfalls', warns Croner Consulting  More...
21 December 2004 10:30

It has been a year since the Employment Equality Regulations (religion and sexual orientation) 2003 were introduced. Aksel Lydersen looks at the impact the legislation has had.  More...
13 December 2004 17:00

Many UK organisations have not taken any action to address recent employment legislation because they believe they will never be taken to a tribunal, according to research. A survey of 1,273 UK employers, from law firm Peninsula, reveals that 62 per c  More...
12 November 2004 16:16

Gay couples are set to get the same rights to company pensions as married couples. Registering a civil partnership will give same sex couples new legal rights, according to the BBC website. This means pension funds will have to provide pensions to co  More...
27 October 2004 16:01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) university students from across Europe will be invited to attend Out in the City – an inter-bank careers event aimed specifically at these students. The event, being held at Canary Wharf, is sponsored by   More...
27 October 2004 10:28

Discrimination against gays is to be policed by the new Equality and Human Rights Commission, according to reports. The Government has decided to give gay people the same protection as that enjoyed by ethnic minorities and people with disabili  More...
11 October 2004 13:03

Employers in the construction industry need to wake up to anti-discrimination and equal opportunity laws before there is a further slump in skills shortages and manpower.   More...
01 May 2004 13:48