Equality Act means employers can’t ask applicants about their health
October 1st 2010 The Equality Act 2010 has come into force with a raft of new measures warehouse and logistics firms, among other employers, will have to get to grips with.
Employers are banned from asking job applicants about their health and pay secrecy clauses used to hide unfair differences in pay for men and women have been outlawed.
There are exceptions to the law regarding questions that can be put to applicants, providing they are integral to job function and not unfairly discriminatory.
For example, it is reasonable to ask an applicant for a job as a forklift truck driver if they have any physical disability that would hamper doing the job. But it would be considered discriminatory to ask about, for example, instances of mental illness.
The Equality Act covers many workplace areas and draws nine separate pieces of legislation into a single Act.
Protected characteristics covered in the Equality Act are: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation.
The British Chambers of Commerce has raised concerns about the amount of employment red tape being passed arguing that UK businesses need the freedom and flexibility to create as many jobs as possible during the economic recovery.
The Equality Act 2010 is estimated to have a one off net cost to business of £189.2 million.
BCC director general David Frost said: “If private sector businesses are to offset job losses in the public sector, the significant costs of employing people must be reduced. As austerity measures start to bite, companies need the flexibility and freedom to boost employment and drive our economic recovery.” More articles from Handling & Storage Solutions: | 
