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Race discrimination solicitors

If an individual believes that they have been discriminated against due to their race and you have a query which you wish to discuss on a confidential basis, contact our discrimination advisers on 01616 966 229 or you can also complete an online enquiry form and a discrimination expert will contact you directly.

Race discrimination occurs where an individual is treated less favourably on the grounds of their race, nationality, ethnic origin, heritage or colour.

The law also provides protection against discriminatory conduct as a result of a perception that an individual is of a particular race, nationality, ethnic origin or heritage, even if the perception is incorrect.

The protection afforded by the Equality Act applies to every stage of the employment relationship i.e. advertising vacancies, recruitment, promotion, training and other opportunities, and dismissal.

This protection also extends to discrimination in the course of an individual’s day to day life as a consumer or service user.

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Race discrimination claims

Less favourable treatment can be experienced directly or indirectly in the workplace and in the course of an individual’s day to day life and can be in one or more of a number of ways. This can include the making of unpleasant comments towards them in the course of their employment by colleagues or in the course of their day to day lives as consumers or service users.

This type of behaviour can be considered by the tribunals and the courts as harassment if it is believed that the behaviour has had the effect of violating the individual’s dignity or created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.

An employer, public body, service provider or association can be held accountable for the conduct of their employees which can give rise to claims against these businesses or organisations.

Commonly, cases involving race discrimination include claims for direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and/or victimisation.

Our employment law and discrimination teams are committed to assisting and representing clients nationwide in claims against employers in the Employment Tribunal and other organisations in the County Court where they have been subjected to less favourable treatment due to their race, nationality, ethnic origin, heritage or colour.

If you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination as a result of your race, nationality, ethnic origin or heritage or you have received a complaint of such from an employee or service user, and would like to speak to a member of our team call us on 01616 966 229 or complete our online enquiry form without delay.

    Exceptions to race discrimination protection

    As with sex discrimination the law recognises that in some circumstances there may be a good reason to give favourable treatment to a particular race. There are at present two areas where exceptions to the law against race discrimination appear to exist:

    • If an employer identifies that a particular racial group has not been properly represented within certain work areas, he may try to encourage individuals of that group to apply by providing training or through an advertising campaign. The employer must be able to show that in the previous 12 months there have been either no individuals of a racial group, or only a small proportion of them carrying out the particular work in question. If this exception does not apply then the positive action will be discriminatory
    • For some jobs belonging to a certain racial group is a requirement. The number of jobs where a person's race is a genuine occupational qualification is not as high as that concerning a person's sex.

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    Discrimination law staff reorder

    • Maria Chadwick
    • Rebecca Topping
    • Charlotte Brain
    • Abigail Martland
    • Kasey Hamer
    • Philip Richardson
    • Adam Pennington
    • Stephen Woodhouse
    • Terri Li