This can occur when an employee has been treated unfairly due to unfairly due to their race (which includes colour, nationally, ethnic origins and national origins). Race is one of the “protected characteristics” covered by the Equality Act 2010. The Act refers to different types of race discrimination:
Direct discrimination – this occurs when:
- An employer treats an employee less favourably;
- The less favourable treatment is due to race(i.e. someone of a different race is, or would be, treated more favourably); and
- The treatment had led to a direct disadvantage.
Indirect discrimination
This occurs when an employee is put at a disadvantage due to a provision, criteria or practice which applies to everyone, but places the individual (and people of the racial group to which they belong) at a disadvantage.
Victimisation
This happens when an employer or their employees treat an employee unfavourably simply because they have for example, made a complaint about race discrimination (via a grievance).
Harassment
It is also unlawful from an employer to subject an employee to unwanted and unwarranted conduct related to race which could reasonably be considered to cause that employee offence.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, please contact our specialist employment law team on 0161 834 2623.