The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief)Regulations 2003

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
CitationSI 2003 Draft
Year2003

Draft Regulations laid before Parliament under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972 for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament

2003 No.

RELIGION OR BELIEF DISCRIMINATION

The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief)Regulations 2003

2003

2ndDecember 2003

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

PART I

GENERAL

1.

Citation, commencement and extent

2.

Interpretation

3.

Discrimination on grounds of religion or belief

4.

Discrimination by way of victimisation

5.

Harassment on grounds of religion or belief

PART II

DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

6.

Applicants and employees

7.

Exception for genuine occupational requirement

8.

Contract workers

9.

Meaning of employment and contract work at establishment in Great Britain

10.

Office-holders etc

11.

Police

12.

Barristers

13.

Advocates

14.

Partnerships

15.

Trade organisations

16.

Qualifications bodies

17.

Providers of vocational training

18.

Employment agencies, careers guidance etc

19.

Assisting persons to obtain employment etc

20.

Institutions of further and higher education

21.

Relationships which have come to an end

PART III

OTHER UNLAWFUL ACTS

22.

Liability of employers and principals

23.

Aiding unlawful acts

PART IV

GENERAL EXCEPTIONS FROM PARTS II AND III

24.

Exception for national security

25.

Exceptions for positive action

26.

Protection of Sikhs from discrimination in connection with requirements as to wearing of safety helmets

PART V

ENFORCEMENT

27.

Restriction of proceedings for breach of Regulations

28.

Jurisdiction of employment tribunals

29.

Burden of proof: employment tribunals

30.

Remedies on complaints in employment tribunals

31.

Jurisdiction of county and sheriff courts

32.

Burden of proof: county and sheriff courts

33.

Help for persons in obtaining information etc

34.

Period within which proceedings to be brought

PART VI

SUPPLEMENTAL

35.

Validity of contracts, collective agreements and rules of undertakings

36.

Application to the Crown etc

37.

Application to House of Commons staff

38.

Application to House of Lords staff

39.

Savings of, and amendments to, legislation

SCHEDULES:

Schedule 1 -

Norwegian part of the Frigg Gas Field

Schedule 2 -

Questionnaire of person aggrieved

Schedule 3 -

Reply by respondent

Schedule 4 -

Validity of contracts, collective agreements and rules of undertakings

Schedule 5 -

Amendments to legislation

Whereas a draft of these Regulations was laid before Parliament in accordance with paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972(1), and was approved by resolution of each House of Parliament;

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, being a Minister designated for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 in relation to discrimination(2), in exercise of the powers conferred by that section, hereby makes the following Regulations: -

PART 1

GENERAL

Citation, commencement and extent

1. - (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, and shall come into force on 2nd December 2003.

(2) These Regulations do not extend to Northern Ireland.

Interpretation

2. - (1) In these Regulations, "religion or belief" means any religion, religious belief, or similar philosophical belief.

(2) In these Regulations, references to discrimination are to any discrimination falling within regulation 3 (discrimination on grounds of religion or belief) or 4 (discrimination by way of victimisation) and related expressions shall be construed accordingly, and references to harassment shall be construed in accordance with regulation 5 (harassment on grounds of religion or belief).

(3) In these Regulations -

"act" includes a deliberate omission;

"benefits" includes facilities and services;

"detriment" does not include harassment within the meaning of regulation 5;

references to "employer", in their application to a person at any time seeking to employ another, include a person who has no employees at that time;

"employment" means employment under a contract of service or of apprenticeship or a contract personally to do any work, and related expressions shall be construed accordingly;

"Great Britain", except where the context otherwise requires in regulation 26 (protection of Sikhs from discrimination in connection with requirements as to wearing of safety helmets), includes such of the territorial waters of the United Kingdom as are adjacent to Great Britain;

"Minister of the Crown" includes the Treasury and the Defence Council; and

"school", in England and Wales, has the meaning given by section 4 of the Education Act 1996(3) , and, in Scotland, has the meaning given by section 135(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980(4), and references to a school are to an institution in so far as it is engaged in the provision of education under those sections.

Discrimination on grounds of religion or belief

3. - (1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a person ("A") discriminates against another person ("B") if -

(a) on grounds of religion or belief, A treats B less favourably than he treats or would treat other persons; or(b) A applies to B a provision, criterion or practice which he applies or would apply equally to persons not of the same religion or belief as B, but - (i) which puts or would put persons of the same religion or belief as B at a particular disadvantage when compared with other persons,(ii) which puts B at that disadvantage, and(iii) which A cannot show to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

(2) The reference in paragraph (1)(a) to religion or belief does not include A's religion or belief.

(3) A comparison of B's case with that of another person under paragraph (1) must be such that the relevant circumstances in the one case are the same, or not materially different, in the other.

Discrimination by way of victimisation

4. - (1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a person ("A") discriminates against another person ("B") if he treats B less favourably than he treats or would treat other persons in the same circumstances, and does so by reason that B has -

(a) brought proceedings against A or any other person under these Regulations;(b) given evidence or information in connection with proceedings brought by any person against A or any other person under these Regulations;(c) otherwise done anything under or by reference to these Regulations in relation to A or any other person; or(d) alleged that A or any other person has committed an act which (whether or not the allegation so states) would amount to a contravention of these Regulations,

or by reason that A knows that B intends to do any of those things, or suspects that B has done or intends to do any of them.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to treatment of B by reason of any allegation made by him, or evidence or information given by him, if the allegation, evidence or information was false and not made (or, as the case may be, given) in good faith.

Harassment on grounds of religion or belief

5. - (1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a person ("A") subjects another person ("B") to harassment where, on grounds of religion or belief, A engages in unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of -

(a) violating B's dignity; or(b) creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for B.

(2) Conduct shall be regarded as having the effect specified in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) only if, having regard to all the circumstances, including in particular the perception of B, it should reasonably be considered as having that effect.

PART II

DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Applicants and employees

6. - (1) It is unlawful for an employer, in relation to employment by him at an establishment in Great Britain, to discriminate against a person -

(a) in the arrangements he makes for the purpose of determining to whom he should offer employment;(b) in the terms on which he offers that person employment; or(c) by refusing to offer, or deliberately not offering, him employment.

(2) It is unlawful for an employer, in relation to a person whom he employs at an establishment in Great Britain, to discriminate against that person -

(a) in the terms of employment which he affords him;(b) in the opportunities which he affords him for promotion, a transfer, training, or receiving any other benefit;(c) by refusing to afford him, or deliberately not affording him, any such opportunity; or(d) by dismissing him, or subjecting him to any other detriment.

(3) It is unlawful for an employer, in relation to employment by him at an establishment in Great Britain, to subject to harassment a person whom he employs or who has applied to him for employment.

(4) Paragraph (2) does not apply to benefits of any description if the employer is concerned with the provision (for payment or not) of benefits of that description to the public, or to a section of the public which includes the employee in question, unless -

(a) that provision differs in a material respect from the provision of the benefits by the employer to his employees; or(b) the provision of the benefits to the employee in question is regulated by his contract of employment; or(c) the benefits relate to training.

(5) In paragraph (2)(d) reference to the dismissal of a person from employment includes reference -

(a) to the termination of that person's employment by the expiration of any period (including a period expiring by reference to an event or circumstance), not being a termination immediately after which the employment is renewed on the same terms; and(b) to the termination of that person's employment by any act of his (including the giving of notice) in circumstances such that he is entitled to terminate it without notice by reason of the conduct of the employer.

Exception for genuine occupational requirement

7. - (1) In relation to discrimination falling...

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