What is the law relating to Equality & Discrimination in Ireland?

Equality and Discrimination Law is an area of ever-increasing importance and relevance, particularly in the context of the employment relationship. The law in the Republic of Ireland relevant to this area is largely set down in The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2011. These pieces of legislation deal specifically with discrimination in the workplace, and cover recruitment policies, equal pay, dismissal, harassment and training opportunities.

Despite its increasing significance, Discrimination Law is often misunderstood. In the interests of clarity, discrimination will occur when someone is treated less favourably than someone else on grounds of their:

  • Gender
  • Family status
  • Civil status
  • Religion
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Age
  • Disability
  • Race
  • Membership of the Traveller community

Unfortunately, people often suffer workplace bullying and harassment in relation to these characteristics. Just as significantly, many people suffer unlawful discrimination at work, which means that they receive unfavourable treatment because of these protected characteristics.

There are many other potential examples of discriminatory practices in the workplace. If you feel that you’ve been treated unfairly at work due to age, sex, race, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, religion, you may have a case for discrimination against your employer. To speak to anexperienced employment discrimination solicitor, contact us.

Who can help if I’m being discriminated against at work?

It’s not just unfair for you to be discriminated against in the workplace, it’s also unlawful. That’s why our experienced workplace discrimination solicitors are here to help you at every turn.. Navigating your company’s grievance procedure may not be straightforward and having expert legal assistance on hand can help to make sure that your rights are fully respected.

In cases where the discrimination has been too serious to allow for an amicable resolution, we’re also highly experienced in negotiating favourable severance packages, should you wish to leave your current employer and move on to a company that offers a fairer and more pleasant working environment.

You can also rest assured that where your employer’s internal procedures can’t help you to obtain a fair resolution and you feel that you must resign, we have extensive experience of dealing with cases of constructive dismissal at the Workplace Relations Commission. It’s important to take legal advice before taking the step of resigning. To speak to an experienced employment solicitor about discrimination in the workplace, call us.

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