Discrimination law sits at the heart of everyday employment practice. Whether you are advising an employer on a tricky dismissal, helping a claimant who feels they have been treated unfairly, or reviewing a workplace policy, you need to know exactly which forms of conduct the Equality Act 2010 prohibits — and how each one is proved or defended. Getting the category right is the difference between a strong case and a hopeless one.
This lesson builds your understanding step by step, covering each distinct form of prohibited conduct and the rules that go with it:
- Forms of Prohibited Conduct and Direct Discrimination — the full map of prohibited conduct, then direct discrimination: comparators, perception, association, and when justification is possible.
- Pregnancy, Maternity and Occupational Requirements — special protection during the protected period, and when a job can lawfully require a particular characteristic.
- Indirect Discrimination — neutral rules that disadvantage a group, the four elements, and the justification defence.
- Disability Discrimination and Reasonable Adjustments — discrimination arising from disability, the knowledge defence, and the duty to adjust.
- Harassment and Victimisation — unwanted conduct, its purpose or effect, and protection for those who complain.
- Liability and Burden of Proof — who can be sued, personal and vicarious liability, and how the burden shifts.