Equality Act comes into force

Employers will be banned from asking job applicants about their health after most provisions of the 2010 Equality Act take effect from today (1 October).

Among other changes to the law is the introduction of a measure to stop pay secrecy clauses being used to hide unfair differences between what men and women are paid.

Around 90% of the Act comes into force today, after it was pushed through Parliament by Labour minister Harriet Harman before the General Election.

The Government has yet to implement some other more controversial elements of the Act as yet, such as the requirement for large organisations to publish the gap in pay between male and female employees, and the right of employers to use "positive action" to recruit more female or ethnic minority staff.

The Act brings together nine separate pieces of legislation, including the Equal Pay Act.

Employment law changes in 2010 >>

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By Neil Gerrard

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