| Legal position | Good practice pointers | Link to further information | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race | Includes ethnicity, ethnic origin, national origin and colour. Legal requirement for public bodies to monitor ethnicity. | • Do your employees know why you are asking them about ethnicity? • Have you explained what you mean by ‘ethnicity’? | See the page in the guide on discrimination on the grounds of race |
| Gender | The law also protects married people, and those in civil partnerships, against discrimination. | • Are there more of one sex in certain jobs? • Flexible working can help to promote gender equality. | See the page in the guide on sex, maternity and pregnancy discrimination |
| Gender identity | Disclosure of a person’s gender reassignment is a criminal offence. | • Do not monitor if a trans person is likely to be identified. • Do not monitor if you consider there is animosity in your workplace to trans people. • If monitoring is carried out, you must guarantee confidentiality. | See the page in the guide on gender reassignment discrimination |
| Disability | You are required to make reasonable adjustments to help a disabled person give their best. | • Don’t make assumptions about a person’s capabilities – talk to them. • Maintain confidentiality – many disabled people do not want to disclose their disability. • In some cases you can discriminate in favour of a disabled person when recruiting. | See the page in the guide on discrimination against disabled people |
| Sexual orientation | No legal requirement to monitor. | • Are there any unvoiced barriers that prevent gay and lesbian colleagues giving their best or accessing opportunities? • Make sure you don’t inadvertently identify gay or lesbian people. • Make sure your workplace environment is inclusive of gay/lesbian people. | See the page in the guide on discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation |
| Religion and belief | No legal requirement to monitor. | • Consider some awareness training in faiths and beliefs. • Review your dress policy – some employees may wish to manifest their faith or beliefs in the way they appear. | See the page in the guide on discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief |
| Age | No legal requirement to monitor. | • Monitor agreed age bands and not individual ages. • Focus on training and development opportunities. | See the page in this guide on age discrimination |