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Equality Act 2010 Compliance Training - 5mins AI

Equality Act 2010

CPD-certified training covering the nine protected characteristics, types of unlawful discrimination, employer responsibilities, and recent legislative updates for UK workplaces

Why Equality Act 2010 Training Matters

The Equality Act 2010 brought together over 100 separate pieces of anti-discrimination law into a single, comprehensive Act. It remains the cornerstone of equality protection in workplaces across Britain, applying in England, Scotland, and Wales. The Act protects individuals from discrimination based on nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

The Equality Act is designed to make workplaces fairer by protecting everyone—not just from obvious unfairness, but from hidden or indirect barriers too. It defines various types of unlawful discrimination including direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, victimisation, discrimination arising from disability, failure to make reasonable adjustments, and associative and perceptive discrimination. Understanding these protections is essential for creating inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Why This Training Is Essential for Your Organisation

Recent updates have strengthened how the Equality Act applies in modern working life. The Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 confirmed that unfair treatment related to pregnancy or maternity can count as direct sex discrimination, and clarified that disability includes mental health conditions and neurodivergent conditions such as autism or ADHD. The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 introduced a new duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, with tribunals able to increase compensation by up to 25% if employers fail.

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure their workplace is inclusive and free from discrimination—across recruitment, pay, progression, and day-to-day interactions. They must prevent unfair treatment, anticipate and remove barriers for disabled people, ensure equal pay for equal work, and protect staff from harassment or victimisation. Employers can be held responsible for discriminatory actions by staff unless they can show they took all reasonable steps to prevent them. Remember: equality is not about treating everyone the same—it is about fairness, removing barriers, and creating a culture where everyone can thrive.

🎯 Learning Outcomes

Understand Protected Characteristics

Identify the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Understand how each characteristic is protected and recognise practical workplace examples.

Recognise Types of Unlawful Discrimination

Define direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. Understand discrimination arising from disability, failure to make reasonable adjustments, and associative and perceptive discrimination. Identify examples of each type in workplace settings.

Apply Recent Legislative Updates

Understand the 2023 amendments covering pregnancy and maternity as sex discrimination, the expanded definition of disability including neurodivergent conditions, and the new employer duty to prevent sexual harassment with potential 25% compensation uplift for failures.

Distinguish Positive Action from Positive Discrimination

Understand what is permitted under positive action such as outreach and mentoring for underrepresented groups. Recognise that positive discrimination remains unlawful except where genuine occupational requirements apply. Know when tie-breaker provisions can be used in recruitment.

Understand Employer Responsibilities

Know employer duties to prevent unfair treatment, anticipate and remove barriers for disabled people, ensure equal pay, and protect staff from harassment. Understand that employers can be held responsible for staff actions unless they took all reasonable steps to prevent discrimination.

Implement Practical Compliance Measures

Establish a clear equality policy and provide regular staff training. Ensure fair and unbiased recruitment and promotions. Monitor pay gaps and workforce diversity to identify issues early. Keep records of adjustments and complaints to support compliance and employee wellbeing.

📋 Course Modules

Protected Characteristics and Types of Discrimination

Understand the Equality Act 2010 as the cornerstone of workplace equality in England, Scotland, and Wales. Learn the nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Define the seven types of unlawful discrimination with practical workplace examples.

Employer Responsibilities Under the Equality Act

Understand the 2023 amendments including pregnancy/maternity as sex discrimination, expanded disability definitions covering neurodivergent conditions, and the new duty to prevent sexual harassment. Learn positive action versus positive discrimination and when occupational requirements apply. Know employer duties to prevent discrimination, make reasonable adjustments, ensure equal pay, and protect staff from harassment.

👥 Role-Based Best Practices for Equality Act Compliance

All Employees

Treat colleagues with respect regardless of their protected characteristics
Avoid unwanted conduct that could violate someone's dignity or create a hostile environment
Do not treat someone badly for complaining about discrimination or supporting someone who has
Report concerns about discrimination or harassment through appropriate channels

Managers and Supervisors

Ensure recruitment and promotion decisions are fair and unbiased
Take reasonable steps to prevent harassment in your team—prevention now matters as much as response
Anticipate and remove barriers for disabled employees through reasonable adjustments
Address complaints promptly and protect employees from victimisation

HR and Compliance Teams

Maintain a clear equality policy and provide regular staff training
Monitor pay gaps and workforce diversity to identify issues early
Keep records of adjustments and complaints to support compliance
Ensure the organisation can demonstrate all reasonable steps were taken to prevent discrimination

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Why teams love us

"Our previous compliance training was like 3+ hours...Now literally in 20 minutes you got everything you need and the knowledge you need to retain. Every single one who's seen it, especially people working in hospitality for 5+ years, were insanely happy and impressed."

Dimitar Dimitrov

Dimitar Dimitrov

Training Manager

"5Mins.ai provides a readymade solution that allows me to provide tailored, up-to-date training to the entire firm while I build out our compliance function. It's scalable, efficient, and gives me reassurance."

Abdul Gofur

Head of Compliance & Anti-Financial Crime

"The platform is incredibly user-friendly and the content is engaging. We saw an 84-85% activation rate in the first week, and it has made our onboarding process much slicker and easier."

Chantelle Hazell

Chantelle Hazell

HR Manager

"5Mins.ai has transformed our compliance training. It's a much more efficient and user-friendly process, and we can now monitor progress and ensure information is retained."

Lucy Wyborn

Director of Learning and Development

"5Mins.ai saved our employees two to three hours on compliance training, which is a huge amount for an 80-person company. The platform is user-friendly, and the ability to create and push out playlists is a game changer."

Sarah Richardson

Talent Partner

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Equality Act 2010 Compliance Training - FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010?

The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination based on nine protected characteristics. Age protects people of all ages—discrimination for being "too young" or "too old" is unlawful unless objectively justified. Disability covers physical and mental impairments that have a substantial, long-term effect on daily life. Gender reassignment protects anyone transitioning or intending to transition, with no medical procedures required. Marriage and civil partnership protects people who are married or in a civil partnership from direct discrimination at work. Pregnancy and maternity covers pregnancy, maternity leave, and breastfeeding. Race includes colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins. Religion or belief includes major religions, philosophical beliefs, and lack of belief. Sex protects men and women from unfair treatment. Sexual orientation protects gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual people.

What is the difference between direct and indirect discrimination?

Direct discrimination is treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. For example, a restaurant manager refusing to hire a qualified applicant for a server position after learning they are 58 years old, telling them "we need someone younger who can keep up with the pace"—this is direct discrimination based on age. Indirect discrimination is applying a rule or policy that disadvantages people with a protected characteristic. For example, a company requiring all staff to work rotating weekend shifts could indirectly discriminate against religious employees who observe days of worship or rest. The key distinction is that direct discrimination involves intentional unfavourable treatment, while indirect discrimination involves a seemingly neutral policy that has a disproportionate negative impact on people with a protected characteristic.

What recent updates have been made to the Equality Act?

Two key updates in 2023 strengthened how the Equality Act applies. The Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Regulations 2023, effective from January 2024, confirmed that unfair treatment related to pregnancy or maternity—even after maternity leave ends—can count as direct sex discrimination. Discrimination against breastfeeding employees is now clearly covered. The definition of disability was clarified to include impairments that limit full and equal participation in working life, including mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, and neurodivergent conditions such as autism or ADHD, even without a formal diagnosis if the impact is substantial and long-term. The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, coming into force in October 2024, introduces a new duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, with tribunals able to increase compensation by up to 25% if employers fail.

What is the difference between positive action and positive discrimination?

Positive action is permitted under the Equality Act and involves offering extra support to underrepresented groups, such as mentoring programmes or targeted outreach. In recruitment, positive action can only be used as a "tie-breaker" between equally qualified candidates, not as a general preference. Positive discrimination—such as hiring someone solely because they have a protected characteristic—remains unlawful, unless a genuine occupational requirement applies. For example, employing a female counsellor at a women's refuge may be lawful if it is essential to the role and proportionate. Similarly, giving preferential treatment to a disabled applicant, such as adapting interviews, is both lawful and often necessary to meet the duty to make reasonable adjustments. The key principle is that equality is not about uniform treatment—it is about equity, fairness, and inclusion.

What are an employer's legal responsibilities under the Equality Act?

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure their workplace is inclusive and free from discrimination across recruitment, pay, progression, and day-to-day interactions. They must prevent unfair treatment, anticipate and remove barriers for disabled people through reasonable adjustments, ensure equal pay for equal work, and protect staff from harassment or victimisation. Importantly, employers can be held responsible for discriminatory actions by staff unless they can show they took all reasonable steps to prevent them. To meet these duties in practice, employers should have a clear equality policy, provide regular staff training, and ensure recruitment and promotions are fair and unbiased. Monitoring pay gaps and workforce diversity helps identify issues early, and keeping records of adjustments or complaints supports both compliance and employee wellbeing.

Equality Act 2010 Compliance Training

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