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Overview¶
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.¶
It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act, making the law easier to understand and strengthening protection in some situations. It sets out the different ways in which it’s unlawful to treat someone.¶
Find out more about who is protected from discrimination, the types of discrimination under the law and what action you can take if you feel you’ve been unfairly discriminated against.¶
Discrimination: making a complaint¶
Before the Act came into force there were several pieces of legislation to cover discrimination, including:¶
- Sex Discrimination Act 1975
- Race Relations Act 1976
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995
If you wish to complain about possible unlawful treatment there are 2 separate processes, depending on when it happened.¶
Complaints: before October 2010¶
If you were subjected to unlawful treatment (eg discrimination, harassment or victimisation) before 1 October 2010, the Equality Act won’t apply. Instead, you’ll be covered by the legislation that was in force at the time.¶
For example, if you experienced race discrimination on 30 September 2010 and want to make a complaint or bring legal proceedings, the Race Relations¶