Health and Safety

Equality and diversity

Work experience and apprenticeship programmes play an important role in challenging stereotypes by providing people with broad, diverse and non-gender specific experiences in the workplace.

Legislation imposes a minimum standard of behaviour on employers and individuals, and as an employer you have the responsibility to provide advice, guidance and opportunities that contribute to:

• Eradicating discrimination • Promoting mutual respect • Equality of opportunity across genders, social background, disabilities, ethnicities, sexual orientation and religions

The Equality Act 2010 protects apprentices from discrimination in the workplace, including bullying and harassment. This protection covers self-employed people working for you on a contract. You are also responsible for addressing any discrimination carried out by your employees. Further information for employers can be found at www.gov.uk/employer-preventing-discrimination/ discrimination-during-employment

Equality Legislation

As defined in The Equality Act 2010 it is illegal to discriminate against anyone because of:

• Age • Gender reassignment • Being married or in a civil partnership • Being pregnant or on maternity leave • Disability • Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin • Religion or belief • Sex • Sexual orientation

This includes discrimination at work or in an educational setting. This means you must make sure anyone with a protected characteristic is being treated the same as everyone else, including pay and conditions. Any rules or arrangements should not indirectly put them at a disadvantage and they should not be subject to unwanted behaviour (harassment) associated with a protected characteristic. You also need to make sure that you listen to and treat people who complain about discrimination or harassment fairly and fully.

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, many ex-offenders are given certain employment rights if their convictions become ‘spent’ (that is, the offender is considered to have been rehabilitated).

Further guidance can be found in the links on the Useful Contacts and Links section on page 28.