Equal opportunities: you can't be treated unfairly for who you are
At a job interview, a woman is asked, "When are you planning to have children?" A landlord hears someone's accent on the phone and says the room has already gone. In the UK, both of these could be unlawful discrimination.
UK law makes sure that, in every part of life and work, nobody is treated unfairly because of any of these:
If you face discrimination, you can get advice from Citizens Advice, or from these organisations:
| England & Wales | The Equality and Human Rights Commission |
|---|---|
| Scotland | The Equality and Human Rights Commission in Scotland, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission |
| Northern Ireland | The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission |
Quiz
Which TWO of the following are reasons for which UK law says you must not be treated unfairly at work?
Age, and pregnancy and maternity, are both among the eight protected reasons. Exam results and a driving record relate to whether you can do a job, so an employer may reasonably take them into account; they are not protected reasons.