The Equality and Human Rights Commission recently published new guidance on the public sector equality duty (PSED) under the Equality Act.
The guidance aims to help public authorities encourage good relations, promote equality and eliminate discrimination in the workplace and in delivering public services.
Full details of the press release are available at the website of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, however, the guidance gives a straightforward, comprehensive explanation of how public authorities, both as employers and also as service providers, should comply with the duty. Practical advice on how to do so is also included an example would be that the guidance makes clear that equality should be considered in all decision making where the duty is relevant. It goes on to highlight that as a matter of good practice, public authorities should keep records demonstrating how they have complied with the duty as, whilst there is no statutory obligation to keep records, the courts have said that a body subject to the equality duty that does not follow non-statutory guidance, such as this, will need to justify why it has not done so. “This guidance will play a valuable role in raising awareness of the public sector equality duty and clarifying what compliance looks like. It will help policy makers understand the requirement to have due regard to achieving fair outcomes for different groups when drawing up policies - rather than simply filling in forms at the end of the process. “Intelligent use of the equality duty at all stages of the policy making process leads to better targeted resources, potentially avoiding costly legal challenges and changes of policy at a later stage.” The Commission is continuing to develop a range of guidance materials on rights, responsibilities and good practice under the Equality Act 2010, including on the public sector equality duty. Technical Guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty and the full range of guidance available for individuals, the public sector, private businesses, service providers and employers can be found at: Equality Act Codes of Practice and technical guidance Ian Acheson, Chief Operating Officer at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:
More specifically however, guidance for employers can be found at the EHRC website.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission have a statutory remit to promote and monitor human rights; and to protect, enforce and promote equality across the nine "protected" grounds - age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation and gender reassignment.
BIS CONSULTATION ON REFORMING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES AND EMPLOYMENT BUSINESSES
21 January 2013
The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) launched a consultation on 17 January 2013 which will run until 11 April 2013.
Released on the gov.uk website the consultation seeks views on when it is appropriate for the government to impose rules on the recruitment sector and when it is more appropriate for the sector and marketplace to decide the rules for themselves. The consultation is also seeking views on enforcement and whether individual enforcement would be more effective than the current government enforcement regime.
CIPP Policy News Journal
12/04/2013, Page 324 of 362
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