Equal opportunities

Draft Single Equality Scheme (557kb doc) | Equal Pay Statement | Equality Impact Assessments

Equal Opportunities and the Highland Council

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Tel: (01463) 702006
email: policy6@highland.gov.uk

The Council has obligations to meet the requirements of UK Equal Opportunities legislation. Recent and impending changes to the legal framework extend our responsibility as a public body to promote and encourage equal opportunities in addition to tackling unlawful discrimination. Equality and fairness are central to the way we conduct business. They are embedded in our programme for Administration and at the core of the way we deliver a wide range of essential services to Highland communities. We aim to ensure our employment and recruitment practices (pdf 85 kb) are fair and that our services are accessible (pdf 47 kb). For information on related polices such as Flexible Working and Harassment please visit the Council’s Employment pages and Fairness in Employment.

The effects of stereotyping and deep rooted prejudices mean that some groups in our community continue to face discrimination; the Council believes that it is essential to operate fair employment practices which recruit and promote people on the basis of merit and ability, and to strive to deliver best value services that are accessible to all. The Council’s equal opportunities policies are in accordance The Equality Act 2010 which provides protection from unlawful discrimination and harassment to groups and individuals because of:

Age
Disability
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion or belief
Sex
Sexual orientation

The Equality Act 2010

The main provisions of the Equality Act 2010 come into force from October 2010. As different sections of the Act are gradually brought into force, the Act will replace existing equality legislation, providing a modern, single legal framework with clear, streamlined law that will be more effective at tackling disadvantage and discrimination. A briefing note on the Equality Act is available here (42Kb, pdf).

In April 2011 it will also extend the scope of duties on the public sector and will introduce a Single Equality Duty on the public sector. For further information and guidance please visit the website of the Equality and Human Rights Commission

Highland Council Draft Single Equality Scheme

The Highland Council has prepared a working draft of a Single Equality Scheme (557kb doc). It integrates three previous schemes (covering Race, Disability and Gender), and reviews and carries forward agreed priority actions.

It also begins to address the wider range of protected characteristics which are covered by the Equality Act 2010. Further consultation will be carried out before the Scheme is finalised.