Equality Act 2010: Higher education sector needs to be ready

The Equality Act 2010 consolidates and streamlines current anti-discrimination legislation. It also introduces new measures that will have legal implications for higher education institutions.

The main sections of the act - relating to employment, equal pay, service delivery, public functions and education (further and higher) - are expected to come in to force in October.

ECU has published an in-depth and tailored briefing for the sector, warning that institutions need to ensure that they are aware of the new legislation and what it means for them as employers, service providers and educators.

Levi Pay, Policy director at ECU, said:

'The new measures in the Equality Act will have direct implications for institutions. For example, it is not uncommon to find HEIs that are still asking job applicants questions about health issues - a practice which will be prohibited in most circumstances under the new legislation.

In harmonising the legal framework, the Act also broadens the areas in which students or staff members can potentially bring a case of discrimination against institutions.

At a time of financial cuts across the sector, it is vital that institutions protect the often modest resources they dedicate to getting to grips with and complying with anti-discrimination legislation.

ECU has published a new briefing to update institutions on the key issues. We will also be holding several practical seminars across the country to help prepare institutions ahead of the new legislation in October.'

The briefing will be distributed to all higher education institutions and is available to download:

• Equality Act 2010: implications for higher education institutions

ECU's Equality Act 2010 seminars will take place during the July and August:

• Manchester Metropolitan University 19 July 2010
• University of Glamorgan, Cardiff 21 July 2010
• University College London 3 August 2010