Discrimination is extremely distressing and damaging and has no place in the modern workplace. If you feel you are being discriminated against at work, Gotelee’s team of specialist employment solicitors can help you.
It is unlawful for you to be discriminated against due to your:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marital or civil partnership
- Pregnancy or maternity leave
- Race (including ethnic or national origin, nationality and colour
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
Discrimination can take several forms:
- Direct discrimination - if you are treated less favourably because of one of the ‘characteristics’ highlighted in the list above. This can never be justified. An obvious example would be refusing to recruit a suitable candidate because they were pregnant.
- Indirect discrimination - when an apparently neutral requirement or practice is applied to all employees, but which has the effect of disadvantaging you because of one of the ‘characteristics’. An example would be imposing a requirement that all employees must work full time hours. Mothers with child caring responsibilities are less likely to be able to comply with this requirement, compared to a male employee and it would disadvantage the woman.
- Disability discrimination - If you suffer from a disability, you are also protected against disability-related discrimination. Your employer is required to make reasonable adjustments which would help you at work. We can help you, if your employer has not properly considered what adjustments should be made to help you.
- Harassment - if you are treated in a way which violates your dignity or which creates an offensive, intimidating or hostile environment due to one of the characteristics we have listed. An example would be an insensitive and hurtful ageist comment being made to a work colleague.
- Victimisation - if you are disadvantaged because you have complained, or intended to complain, about discrimination, or because you have given evidence or helped someone else in making a complaint of discrimination. An example would include you being turned down for promotion, because you had assisted an employee as their representative at a grievance hearing about sexual harassment.
How we can help
Gotelee’s team of specialist employment solicitors have considerable experience in dealing with these sensitive issues in a tactful and understanding way. We can help you through the grievance process and give you advice and support every step of the way. Sometimes with our early intervention, we can help you resolve the issues with your employer, so that do not have to leave your job.
Sometimes a return to work may not be possible for you. We can help you pursue your Employment Tribunal claim, to make sure that you are adequately compensated. Our Employment Team are experts in this area and can guide you through the complexities of making a claim, so that you achieve the best outcome possible, as quickly as possible.
Our charges
As with everything we do, our charges are very reasonable and tailored to the work that you would like us to do. In the vast majority of cases, we will agree a fixed fee for your work, so that you have comfort in knowing that you can safely budget, with no fear of receiving an unexpected bill from us.
