Equal pay, equal opportunities and discrimination claims

All employees should expect to be treated with dignity and respect, receive equal opportunities and not be discriminated against because of their sex, age, race, disability, sexual orientation or any other of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. Employees are also entitled to equal pay for equal work regardless of their sex.

At Penningtons Manches Cooper, our employment lawyers have industry-leading experience in advising employees on workplace discrimination and equal pay claims and we are here to support you with sympathy and sensitivity. We are fully aware that raising your workplace concerns, being the subject of discrimination and/or harassment, or being accused of discrimination and/or harassment can be both stressful and distressing.

The law protects you against discrimination at work. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly at work on the grounds of any of the protected characteristics, you may have a case for a discrimination claim against your employer and you should seek advice as early as possible.

Although the Equality Act provides for equal pay for equal work, regardless of sex, and implies a ‘sex equality clause’ into employment contracts, the nuanced nature of equal pay complaints means that it can be a difficult legal area for an employee to negotiate, particularly if they are a woman. An employee who is considering raising an unequal pay complaint will benefit from expert legal advice at the outset to ensure their rights are protected.

There are, unfortunately, many other discriminatory practices in the workplace. For example, there may be unfair rules where followers of one religion might be allowed to wear symbols of their faith while another group is not. Despite rules against age discrimination, there are also many cases of workers over the age of 50 being selected for redundancy in preference to a younger worker with less experience and ability. Pregnant employees are also vulnerable to dismissal if they have to take time off for health reasons.

Our experienced team can advise and support employees on all forms of discrimination claims, including direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation, bullying and harassment, sexual harassment and the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers.