Religion has the meaning usually given to it but belief includes religious and philosophical beliefs including lack of belief (such as Atheism). Generally, a belief should affect your life choices or the way you live for it to be included in the definition. Sex A man or a woman. Sexual orientation Whether a person's sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the opposite sex or to both sexes. Appendix 2: Equality Act 2010 The Public Sector Equality Duty – Need of the duty Having due Example regard Eliminate unlawful discrimination, Take Ensure that appropriate policies and harassment and victimisation steps to procedures are in place and staff ensure are aware of and have confidence discrimination, to use them harassment or (eg bullying and harassment) victimisation Ensure all groups are able to of people with access the same terms and protected conditions eg same sex partners – charac- teristics receive the same rights, conditions does not occur and entitlements such as parental leave and opportunities for flexible working Advance equality of opportunity Remove or Take account of the needs of minimise disabled students and staff eg – learning and teaching practice, related to a accessibility, adapted work practices protected characteristic Meet the needs Address the needs of those with of people with caring responsibilities/take account protected of those who work part time eg – charac- teristics meeting times, methods and timing of communications Encourage Proactively address participation underrepresentation eg – of people with progression of women in their chosen protected career, part-time and full-time staff charac- teristics from protected characteristic groups in areas where it participating in training, gender is dispro- balance on particular courses, portionately low differences in retention/completion rates for students from protected characteristic groups
Religion has the meaning usually given to it but belief includes religious and philosophical beliefs including lack of belief (such as Atheism). Generally, a belief should affect your life choices or the way you live for it to be included in the definition. Sex A man or a woman. Sexual orientation Whether a person's sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the opposite sex or to both sexes. Appendix 2: Equality Act 2010 – The Public Sector Equality Duty Need of the duty Having due regard Example Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation Take steps to ensure discrimination, harassment or victimisation of people with protected charac- teristics does not occur Ensure that appropriate policies and procedures are in place and staff are aware of and have confidence to use them (eg bullying and harassment) Ensure all groups are able to access the same terms and conditions – eg same sex partners receive the same rights, conditions and entitlements such as parental leave and opportunities for flexible working Advance equality of opportunity Remove or minimise related to a protected characteristic Take account of the needs of disabled students and staff – eg learning and teaching practice, accessibility, adapted work practices Meet the needs of people with protected charac- teristics Address the needs of those with caring responsibilities/take account of those who work part time – eg meeting times, methods and timing of communications Encourage participation of people with protected charac- teristics in areas where it is dispro- portionately low Proactively address underrepresentation – eg progression of women in their chosen career, part-time and full-time staff from protected characteristic groups participating in training, gender balance on particular courses, differences in retention/completion rates for students from protected characteristic groups