Changes to diversity and inclusion laws are coming in UK
August 19, 2019
The government is currently considering numerous changes to diversity and inclusion laws. These include the introduction of carers’ leave; a mandatory duty on employers to prevent workplace harassment; a review of various family leave entitlements; and a new entitlement to workplace modifications for a wider category of employees who are not disabled and therefore cannot rely on their employer’s obligation to make reasonable adjustments.
Equality roadmap
The government’s vision for gender equality in the UK has now been combined to form Gender equality at all stages: A roadmap for change. This is a holistic review of gender equality from education to retirement, identifying eight key drivers of inequality – with many relating to employment. To tackle gender inequality in the workplace, the government intends to focus on low pay in identified sectors and occupations, career trajectory and support for those with caring responsibilities.
Key proposals of the roadmap for employers are several.
Consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace
This Equalities Office consultation aims to address concerns about the coverage of sexual harassment protection in the existing legislation. The consultation covers four main area.
Proposals to support families
This consultation is looking at the different levels of support available to families through parental leave and pay arrangements. The government wants to improve transparency by requiring employers’ flexible working and parental leave and pay policies to be made available to job applicants.
Options under consideration include pay and leave, and flexible working.
Consultation on reducing ill health-related job losses
The government is seeking views on potential changes to the current legal framework to encourage employer support, including the introduction of a right to request workplace modifications for employees not covered by the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees in the Equality Act.
Other proposals include consultations on a new single enforcement body for employment rights and on measures to address so-called ‘one-sided flexibility’.
Read more: on website peoplemanagement.co.uk (EN)
