Sex Discrimination at work can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Get free legal advice from Lincs Law Employment Solicitors.

Sex Discrimination Solicitors

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Sex Discrimination At Work

Recent media interest and reports have brought issues of sex discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace into the open. Campaigns such as #metoo and #timesup have helped shine a light on the scale of a problem which for too long was kept out of sight.

At Lincs Law Employment Solicitors, we frequently receive enquiries from employees who have been subjected to sex discrimination at work. We always hope the information on our website is helpful, but we are aware that the best assistance is to discuss your problem with a fully qualified sex discrimination solicitor.  If you would like a free consultation with one of the team at Lincs Law Employment Solicitors, please use the contact form, engage in a web chat, email contactus@lincslaw.com or call us on 01522 440512 and we’ll be happy to help.

Who Is Protected From Sex Discrimination And Sexual Harassment?

In the employment sphere employees, workers, job applicants, trainees, Company Directors etc are protected from sex discrimination and harassment by their employer. All aspects of the relationship are covered. For example, an employee who is discriminated against in the recruitment process would be able to bring a claim against their prospective employer even if they never worked a day for that business.

How Do You Know If You Have Suffered Sex Discrimination Or Sexual Harassment?

The Equality Act 2010 sets out various ways in which an employer’s treatment of a person because of their gender is unlawful. Briefly, it is likely you have suffered sex discrimination or sexual harassment if any of the following have occurred:

  • Direct Discrimination

    This is where you have been treated less favourably because of your sex than someone of a different gender would have been treated. For example, if female employers were required to give a month’s notice to book their holiday but male employees were not.

  • Indirect Discrimination

    This is where the employer has a policy, procedure or similar which appears to apply to everyone but has a detrimental impact upon people of a particular gender. For example, if an employer had a height requirement which may appear to apply in the same way to all but, fewer women than men could comply with the requirement.

  • Harassment

    This is where a person suffers unwanted conduct which causes a distressing, humiliating or offensive environment for them. For example, jokes and derogatory comments by colleagues related to gender.

  • Sexual Harassment

    This is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating for them an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. For example, comments about what a person is wearing, speculation about their personal relationships, invasion of personal space, unnecessary touching etc can be sexual harassment. This type of harassment could also be unfavourable treatment suffered because a refusal to agree to a relationship with the harasser. For example, bullying at work following the refusal to engage in a personal relationship would be sexual harassment.

  • Victimisation

    This is where an employee raises a complaint themselves or supports another doing so and suffers a “detriment” as a consequence. A detriment could be a reduction in hours, a refusal to give a pay rise, a lost promotion opportunity, indeed anything which has a negative impact on that person’s work or employment.

If You Are Suffering Sex Discrimination Or Sexual Harassment What Action Should You Take?

The Employment Tribunal will expect you to raise your concerns with your employer. This will usually be done through your employer’s grievance procedure. Please see the information available on this website about how to raise a grievance. Any evidence you can gather to assist in your grievance will be extremely helpful. If the matter can be resolved at that stage, then all to the good.

If your employer continues to discriminate against you because of your gender or the sexual harassment has not been properly dealt with, you may have to consider submitting a claim to the Employment Tribunal. In order to do so, you will first need to begin a process called ACAS Early Conciliation. This is a compulsory procedure where an ACAS conciliator acts as a go between to try and resolve the dispute.

What Are The Time Limits For Sex Discrimination Claims?

You will need to begin the ACAS Early Conciliation process within three months less one day from the last act of discrimination. The time limit for submitting your Employment Tribunal claim will depend upon the dates of your ACAS Early Conciliation. However, it is important that you begin the ACAS Early Conciliation process within the three-month deadline as to fail to do so may render your claim out of time.

Let Lincs Law Employment Solicitors Help You

If you are suffering sex discrimination or sexual harassment at work, please contact us for a free consultation with a fully qualified sex discrimination solicitor.  Please just use the contact form, engage in a web chat, email contactus@lincslaw.com or call us on 01522 440512 and we’ll be happy to help.

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Compensation Obtained For Our Clients

£33,298,990 and counting

(Plus reinstatements, disciplinary charges dropped, upheld grievances, performance management procedures withdrawn etc.)