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Northern Irish
Anti-Discrimination/
Equality Legislation
Key Points
The legislation in Northern Ireland
related to anti-discrimination and
equality consists of a number of
acts, rather than one Equality Act
as in Britain. The acts relate to
employment, and to the provision of
goods, services, and education.
Anti-Discrimination in
Employment
equal pay act (northern ireland)
1970 amended 2004. This obliges
employers give to men and women
equal pay for the same work.
employment equality (age)
regulations (northern ireland)
2006. This prohibits direct and
indirect discrimination on grounds
of age in employment, vocational
training, and further and
higher education.
Special Treatment
Employers and service providers
can give special treatment to people
in order to promote equality of
opportunity or to accommodate
people with different needs. For
example, the PSNI is obliged to work
towards achieving an equal number of
Catholics and Protestants in the force.
Anti-Discrimination in Employment
and in the Provision of Goods, Services,
and Education
Sex Discrimination (northern ireland) Orders 1976
and amended 1988-2008. These prohibit direct and
indirect discrimination on the grounds of gender,
including transgender, marital status, pregnancy
and maternity leave.
Disability Discrimination Act 1995, extended
2004-2006. This prohibits direct and indirect
discrimination on the grounds of a wide range of
physical and intellectual disabilities, including
people with cancer, HIV and mental ill health. It also
obliges employers and service providers to make
reasonable adjustments to ensure that a person can
access employment and services.
race relations (northern ireland) Order 1997,
extended in 2009. This prohibits direct and indirect
discrimination on the grounds of colour, race,
nationality, ethnic or national origin. Irish Travellers
are specifically named in the act.
fair employment and treatment (northern ireland)
Order 1998. This prohibits discrimination on the
grounds of religious belief and/or political opinion
in the fields of employment, the provision of goods,
facilities and services, the sale or management of
land or property, and further and higher education.
It also obliges employers with over 10 employees to
inform the Equality Commission every year of the
community background, sex and occupation of their
employees.
the employment equality (Sexual orientation)
regulations (ni) 2003 and the Equality Act (Sexual
Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.
These prohibit direct or indirect discrimination on
the grounds of sexual orientation in employment
and the provision of goods, services, education and
public functions.
SECTION 4 EQUALITY AND THE LAW 95