The EOC contended amongst other things that section 4A(1)(a) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 did not fulfil its intended purpose, which was to transpose into English law provisions contained in the Equal Treatment Directive 2002/73/EC. Held: The use in section 4A(1)(a) of the expression ‘on ground of her sex’ introduced a requirement of cause … Continue reading Equal Opportunities Commission v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry: Admn 12 Mar 2007

Under English law and under Community law, the national court should construe a regulation adopted to give effect to a Directive as intended to carry out the obligations of the Directive and as not being inconsistent with it if it is reasonably capable of bearing such a meaning. Lord Diplock said that: ‘it is a … Continue reading Garland v British Rail Engineering Ltd (No 2): HL 22 Apr 1982

EAT Sex Discrimination: Pregnancy and DiscriminationSex Discrimination by employment agency contrary to s15(1)(b) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 in not making initial risk assessment in relation to a pregnant prospective employee.Good decision by Employment Tribunal, on liability and quantum. No error of law disclosed in Notice of Appeal or Skeleton by manager of employment … Continue reading Brocklebank v Silveira: EAT 11 Jan 2006

EAT Sex Discrimination – Victimisation – The Claimants’ claim that the Respondent aided, abetted, counselled and procured trade unions to commit breaches of section 12 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is unsustainable, both in the form originally pleaded and in the proposed re-formulation put before the Appeal Tribunal. Accordingly, albeit for reasons different to … Continue reading J Shepherd and others v North Yorkshire County Council: EAT 7 Dec 2005

EAT Equal Pay Act – Material factor defence – In an equal pay claim involving a presumption of direct discrimination the genuine material factor defence requires justification by objective criteria.The claimant appealed dismissal of her action for equal pay, saying that the ‘material factor’ defence used to justify a different payment had been incorrectly applied. … Continue reading Sharp v Caledonia Group Services Ltd: EAT 1 Nov 2005

The claimant said that he had been indirectly discriminated against on racial grounds. He was dismissed after being elected as a local councillor for the BNP. The employer considered that for Health and Safety reasons, his dismissal was necessary because of the upset and disturbance his continued employment would create with Asian co-workers and passengers. … Continue reading A C Redfearn v Serco Ltd T/A West Yorkshire Transport Service: EAT 27 Jul 2005

Appeal agaiinst extension of time given for filing sex discrimination case. Judges: Mummery J P Citations: [1995] UKEAT 1225 – 95 – 2012 Links: Bailii Statutes: Sex Discrimination Act 1975 7691) Employment, Discrimination Updated: 19 June 2022; Ref: scu.209601

Race Discrimination – Direct. After dealing with the arguments based on the history of the various statutes: ‘Whether the employer deliberately dismisses the employee on racial grounds or he so acts as to repudiate the contract by racially discriminatory conduct, which repudiation the employee accepts, the end result is the same, namely the loss of … Continue reading Derby Specialist Fabrication Ltd v J N Burton: EAT 27 Sep 2000

The Force appealed findings of sex discrimination against the respondent who had undergone gender reassignment. She required the fact of the procedure to be kept secret. The force refused her application for appointment since they said she would be unable to conduct searches, which were required in law to be by officers of the same … Continue reading The Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Police v A, Secretary of State for Education: EAT 2 Oct 2001

80% of the men who had been employed since 1 April 1997 had got protection under TUPE whereas only 66.66% of the women had. It was argued that this difference in percentages was sufficient to justify a claim of indirect discrimination. Held: There was no sex discrimination where there were genuine reasons for a pay … Continue reading Strathclyde Regional Council and others v Wallace and others (Scotland): HL 22 Jan 1998

A sex discrimination claim involving a claim by an employee for damages for sexual harassment, had to be made during the period of employment. An employer’s failure to deal properly with an allegation of sexual harassment could itself be a detriment under the Act and Directive. The fact that the statutes against sex discrimination and … Continue reading Rhys-Harper v Relaxion Group plc: CA 3 May 2001

Female teachers carried out the work of principal teachers but had not been appointed to the promoted post and were paid less than they would have received had they been so appointed. They claimed equal pay with male comparators who were appointed principal teachers. Like work was established and it was agreed that disparity in … Continue reading Strathclyde Regional Council v Wallace: HL 1988

A female art teacher and deputy department head applied in 1975 to be department head at her school. In September a man was appointed instead. The 1975 Act came into force on 29th December. On 1st January 1996 she complained to the Tribunal on the basis that by appointing a man the employers discriminated against … Continue reading Amies v Inner London Education Authority: EAT 1977

The applicant was a cashier on a ship. She made a complaint of sex harassment and discrimination. The defendant denied that the court had jurisdiction because she worked abroad. Held: Her work was done mainly outside Great Britain. Neill LJ said: ‘Thus s10(1) provides in effect that for the purposes of Part II all employment … Continue reading Haughton v Olau Line (UK) Ltd: CA 1986

The fact that an employment contract was tainted with illegality of which the employee was aware, did not deprive the employee of the possibility of claiming rights which were due to her under a statute which created rights associated with but not dependent upon the contract. There could be no derogation from the European Directive … Continue reading Hall v Woolston Hall Leisure Limited: CA 23 May 2000

EAT Sex Discrimination – DirectThe complainant had been suspended from her position as Vice President of the Law Society. The Society and its officers appealed findings of sex and race discrimination against her. The complainant appealed findings that she had lied to the tribunal on oath, and that the discrimination had been only indirect. Held: … Continue reading The Law Society v Kamlesh Bahl: EAT 7 Jul 2003

EAT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Amendment The Employment Judge did not err in refusing an application, in the form of a new claim, to amend to add claims out of time under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Maternity Employment Tribunal Regulations. It was still open to the Claimant to have her second claim, … Continue reading Moore v Marks and Spencer Plc: EAT 17 May 2010

The applicant had soft tissue injuries around the spine as a consequence of a back injury at work. He was absent from work for a long time as a result of his injuries, and he was eventually dismissed when his medical advisers could provide no clear idea of when it would be possible for him … Continue reading Clark v TDG Limited (Trading As Novacold): CA 25 Mar 1999

The employer appealed against a decision by the tribunal that it had jurisdiction to hear the complaints of sex discrimination. The tribunal had extended the time for the claim on the just and equitable basis. Held: The EAT set out five criteria for answering whether to extend time: ‘(a) the length of and reasons for … Continue reading British Coal Corporation v Keeble and others: EAT 26 Mar 1997

The claimant had lodged an appeal against a rejection of her claim of sex discrimination, and against the amount of damages awarded on the success of her claim of unfair dismissal. After rejection of her request for a review, her counsel had lodged a letter withdrawing her appeal. She then received a reply from the … Continue reading O’Neill v Governors of St Thomas More RC School: EAT 12 Oct 1995

amnesty_ahmedEAT2009 EAT RACE DISCRIMINATION – Direct discriminationRACE DISCRIMINATION – Indirect discriminationRACE DISCRIMINATION – Protected by s. 41UNFAIR DISMISSAL – Constructive dismissalClaimant, of (northern) Sudanese ethnic origin, applied for promotion to role of ‘Sudan researcher’ for Amnesty International – Not appointed because Amnesty believed that the appointment of a person of her ethnic origin would compromise … Continue reading Amnesty International v Ahmed: EAT 13 Aug 2009

Proving Discrimination – Two Stage Process Each appeal raised procedural issues in discrimination cases, asking where, under the new regulations, the burden of proof had shifted. Held: The new situation required a two stage process before a complaint could be upheld. First the claimant had to establish facts allowing the tribunal to conclude, in the … Continue reading Igen Ltd v Wong: CA 18 Feb 2005

EAT The parties agreed that in the event of any employment dispute , the applicable law would be German, and the place of jurisdiction Frankfurt, which was where the claimant lived and from where she worked (though she came on occasion to the UK). She brought claims under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Equal … Continue reading Simpson v Intralinks: EAT 15 Jun 2012

The claimant had previously succeeded in a claim of sex discrimination against the University, her former employer. She now appealed against rejection of her claims alleging later victimisation. Held: Two appeals succeed, and those matters remitted to the tribunal for reconsideration: ‘I do not see why not: if the appellant were able to establish that … Continue reading Deer v University of Oxford: CA 6 Feb 2015

eversheds_dbEAT11 EAT SEX DISCRIMINATION – DirectSEX DISCRIMINATION – Pregnancy and discriminationSEX DISCRIMINATION – Other lossesUNFAIR DISMISSAL – Reasonableness of dismissalUNFAIR DISMISSAL – Polkey deductionMale claimant and female comparator absent on maternity leave in redundancy selection pool – On one criterion (‘lock up’) Claimant given low (actual) score but comparator given (notional) maximum score since because … Continue reading Eversheds Legal Services Ltd v De Belin: EAT 6 Apr 2011