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Question 1

What characteristics are protected under the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010) section 4?

Answer 1

1. Age
2. Disability
3. Gender re-assignment
4. Marriage and civil partnership
5. Pregnancy and maternity
6. Race
7. Religion and belief
8. Sex
9. Sexual orientation

Question 2

age

Answer 2

• refers to people in a particular age group
• direct age discrimination = will occur if someone is refused employment because they are either too young or too old.

Question 3

disability
- what is impairment?
- what is long term?

Answer 3

1. what is impairment?
   The impairment must be medically recognised and relate, for example, to mobility, manual dexterity, eyesight, hearing, memory or comprehension.
   - impairment must be ‘substantial’ which means that a person’s ability to carry out ordinary daily tasks must be considerably inhibited compared to people without the impairment.
2. what is long term?
   The disability should have lasted, or be expected to last, for at least 12 months or for life.

Question 4

gender re-assignment

Answer 4

This covers both male to female and female to male transsexuals and is continuous from the time they decide they wish to change gender and live as a member of the opposite sex.

There is no requirement to be having or to have had medical treatment.

Question 5

marriage and civil partnerships

Answer 5

People are not to be treated less favourably because they are in a marriage or civil partnership.

Question 6

pregnancy and maternity

Answer 6

A woman enjoys a protected status in relation to unfavourable treatment at work during pregnancy and for a limited time afterwards. This means she is protected while she is pregnant and on maternity leave.

Question 7

race

Answer 7

• colour
• nationality
• ethnic or national origins

Question 8

religion or belief

Answer 8

Religion
This includes not having a religion. It includes all religions, and any religious or philosophical belief.

Belief
Covers religious and non-religious belief. It does not have to involve faith or worship. Belief in the sanctity of life and that fox hunting should be banned have been held to be protected beliefs.