19 January 2021 at 06:27 PM Do you know Ofsted’s approach in evaluating how well an education provider meets their duties in relation to the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010? Would recently released guidance from Ofsted help?
30 October 2020 at 02:29 PM In the context of ‘BlackLivesMatter’, now seems the perfect time to ramp up our actions to dismantle the persistent barriers that people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds face in the workplace. But when does the law curb positive action? Is positive discrimination ever legal? During Covid 19 we are providing additional support for students with medical conditions who are shielding – but does this mean that we are discriminating against students who are not shielding? Can we use positive action to address socioeconomic disadvantage? These are questions I have been asked recently. Here are my answers.
3 March 2020 at 10:49 AM An employment tribunal has ruled that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief protected under discrimination law. Do you appreciate the implications for schools, colleges and universities? And what if staff claim that they have a right to a philosophical belief that gender reassignment is not possible – are they protected under equality law? What if a student says that they are a Jedi Knight – is this a protected philosophical belief? Where do you draw the line? What are the practical implications from this landmark ruling for education providers?
Belief, Equality Act 2010, Vegan 4 July 2018 at 07:14 PM Do you have a lead role in E&D in your organisation? How confident are you on the requirements of the Equality Act 2010? For example, would you know what types of discrimination can be justified and what types cannot? What the main applications of the Act are for education providers? What the 11 key requirements of the specific duties of the Public Sector Equality Duty are (12 if you live in Wales)? Would new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission help?
13 January 2016 at 10:30 AM One of the specific duties of the Equality Act 2010 requires colleges and universities to publish equality objectives by April 2012 and then every 4 years. Which means that your next set must be published by April 2016. Are you ready?
