Sex equality amendments

New regulations to implement the European Gender Directive were due to come into effect as Labour Research went to press.

The directive prohibits discrimination on grounds of sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity in the provision of goods and services — but this is already covered in the UK by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (SDA).

As a result, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 are relatively limited. Their main effects are to:

• spell out that harassment on grounds of sex is unlawful in relation to the provision of and access to goods, facilities, services and premises, and that less favourable treatment on grounds of pregnancy or maternity is unlawful in the provision of goods and services; and

• extend protection from discrimination on grounds of gender reassignment to the provision of goods, facilities and services.

Changes to the SDA resulting from the Equal Opportunity Commission’s legal victory last year (see Labour Research, April 2007) are still awaited.

The regulations are available at www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/legislation/index.htm