Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 applies to all organisations that provide services to the public or to a section of the public and protects people from discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics. These characteristics are:
- disability
- gender reassignment
- pregnancy and maternity
- race (this includes ethnic or national origins)
- colour and nationality
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
Public bodies, such as East Staffordshire Borough Council, are also required to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty. The three aims of the general equality duty are, in summary, that those subject to the equality duty must, in the exercise of their functions, have due regard to the need to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
- advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
- foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
In addition, public authorities are also required to:
- Publish sufficient information to demonstrate its compliance with the general equality duty across its functions
- Prepare and publish equality objectives