Creating a fairer Britain The Equality Act came into force on 1
October 10. Some of the information on this page may be out of
date. Employers’ responsibilities regarding discrimination are
set out in a number of Acts of Parliament and regulations. The
following list of legislation relates to the content of this
section of the website. Employers may sometimes believe that
discrimination can be justified. Typical examples include: An
employer’s belief that discrimination is justified is no
guarantee that it actually is lawful. There are certain
circumstances where some types of discrimination can be
justified. But the exceptions are very narrow and they will be
strictly interpreted by any court or tribunal. There is also
variation in the exceptions depending on what type of
discrimination is alleged. Under certain limited circumstances –
especially those known as genuine occupational requirements
(GORs) and genuine occupational qualifications (GOQs) –
discrimination may be lawful. If you believe that you have