Homepage > Citizenship > Equal Opportunities > Sex Discrimination
Equal opportunity laws are in place to ensure that people are treated fairly and that there is no sex discrimination. If an employer treats you differently because of your:
- gender
- status (e.g. married or single)
then they have broken the law.
Under the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act which protects your rights, you should be:
- employed
- trained
- promoted
based solely upon your skills and ability to do the job.
Sexual harassment counts as sex discrimination because you are treated differently to someone of the opposite sex. Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual advances or behaviour towards you and can include:
- offensive comments
- sexual requests (often in return for promotion or other benefits)
- comments about the way you look
If someone is harassing you and they don’t stop when you ask them to then you should tell your employer or teacher. Most employers have sexual harassment written into their disciplinary rules because it is an employer’s responsibility to protect you from any form of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Equality and Human Rights Commission: 08457 622 633 Textphone: 08457 622 644
Equality and Human Rights Commission
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the leading agency working to eliminate sex discrimination in 21st Century Britain.
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