Prohibited conduct (discrimination etc)

The Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010) provides protection against discrimination and other prohibited conduct relating to protected characteristics which people may possess. Some protections relate specifically to only one of those characteristics.

This topic provides information on the conduct that is prohibited under EqA 2010. EqA 2010 divides the types of prohibited conduct into the following categories:

•
discrimination, which includes:
1. ◦
  direct discrimination
2. ◦
  indirect discrimination
3. ◦
  discrimination arising from disability
4. ◦
  failure to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person
5. ◦
  pregnancy and maternity discrimination
6. ◦
  gender reassignment discrimination: cases of absence from work
•
other prohibited conduct, which includes:
1. ◦
  harassment
2. ◦
  victimisation

Direct discrimination

A person directly discriminates against another person where:

•
they treat them less favourably than they treat or would treat others, and
•
they do so because of a protected characteristic

Direct age discrimination can be justified if the respondent can show that the provision, criterion or practice (PCP) amounting to discrimination was a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. Other forms of direct

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