Equality Bill: a waste of time?

by Kate Pritchard - Thursday, 24th July 2008 -

Harriet Harman’s attempt to end workplace discrimination with a new Equality Bill brought mutterings of discontent from entrepreneurs and the Forum of Private Business. Now lawyers have stepped into the fray: “What it proposes is more discrimination,” says Julie Quinn, employment partner at law firm Nabarro LLP.

“The Bill doesn’t provide employers with a decent stab at defending what is ultimately an act of discrimination – choosing a candidate by reference to race or sex,” she says.

Entrepreneurs who follow the new Equality Bill would be exposed “both financially and reputationally”, warns Quinn.

“We might laud the governments intentions but I would not put my client in the full glare of an employment tribunal with only the protection of the Equality Bill.”

She reckons the proposed legislation needs to go much further. “It doesn’t give employers the right to set quotas based on inclusion. It doesn’t give them the right to use female or ethics shortlists for hiring decisions or internal promotion decisions. And it doesn’t allow them to openly recruit by reference to under-representation of particular sections of society.”

While the new Bill recognises discrimination in the workplace, it doesn’t actually give entrepreneurs the ability to change it.

Harriet Harman, go back to the drawing board.

Picture source

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