How does the law protect you from unfair treatment at work?
Theย Equality Act 2010ย protects you fromย discrimination at work. People cannot be treated unfavourably because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
You cannot be treated unfairly because somebody perceives that you have a protected characteristic, but you do not. You can also not be treated unfairly because you are the friend or relative of somebody with a protected characteristic, or you have challenged your employer about discrimination.
Theย Employment Rights Act 1996ย provides protection rights for employees. These protections relate to unfair dismissal, termination of employment, redundancy rights, time off for parenting, the right to request flexible working hours, protection of wages, Sunday working hours and more.
By law, you cannot be dismissed from your job for any of the following reasons:
- You are pregnant, or you are on maternity leave.
- You have requested parental leave.
- You are a member of a trade union.
- You have taken part in industrial action lasting 12 weeks or less.
- You have requested a legal right, such as to be paid the minimum wage.
- You have โblown the whistleโ (which means you have reported a criminal act or a serious health & safety breach at work).
If you feel you have no choice but to leave your job because of something that has happened at work, you may be able to claim compensation for โconstructive unfair dismissalโ.