Discrimination Claims Advice for Employers

Every employer fears being faced with a workplace discrimination claim. At Davenport Solicitors, our expert employment law team is well versed in providing discrimination claims advice for employers and can help you resolve employee grievances swiftly and sensitively.

Discrimination claims under the Equality Act don’t just cost your business money: they affect your reputation too. Our expert solicitors are experienced in supporting employers with discrimination complaints and claims and will be your dedicated advisers during every step of the process.

Workplace Discrimination

Workplace discrimination legislation (the Equality Act 2010) protects employees with ‘protected characteristics’ from unfair treatment. Protected characteristics include sex, marital status, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and age.

Types of workplace discrimination

There are four forms of discrimination at work (six in the case of disability discrimination in the workplace):

• Less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristic, known as direct discrimination
• Imposing a provision, criterion or practice (PCP) which particularly disadvantages a group of people with a protected characteristic and the individual concerned. Known as indirect discrimination, this form of discrimination can be defended if the PCP can be objectively justified. By this the legislation means it is a proportional means of achieving a legitimate aim
• Harassment for a reason related to a protected characteristic
• Victimisation of someone because they have raised or helped someone to raise a complaint of discrimination

Legislation protects:

• Job applicants and employees
• Contract workers, including agency workers
• Police officers and applicants to join the police
• Partners and those seeking partnership in a firm (including an LLP)
• Barristers and trainee advocates

How can we help?

Our specialist solicitors can provide discrimination claims advice for employers. We are positioned to advise on best practice with regard to employment discrimination law. We can help you create and implement an effective equality and diversity policy and train your managers in employment discrimination law. We also help with alleged cases of discrimination in the workplace. Our lawyers can help you handle a fair investigation, disciplinary or grievance process. We also offer services from trained mediators to try and resolve the matter without having to face costly and time-consuming Tribunal proceedings. Contact us today to find out more.