The first wave of implementation of the Equality Act will go ahead to the planned October timetable following the publication of the first commencement order in Parliament next week. This will pave the way for the implementation of landmark provisions to protect disabled people from discrimination and tackle the gender pay gap.
The home secretary and minister for women and equalities Theresa May said:"By making the law easier to understand, the Equality Act will help business treat staff fairly and meet the needs of a diverse customer base. The law will be easier to understand and better able to protect people from discrimination.
"Implementing the Equality Act to the planned timetable makes clear our commitment to equality. A successful economy needs the full participation of all its citizens and we are committed to implementing the Act in the best way for business.
"Along with these legislative measures the GEO will also look at ways of achieving our equality aims without new legislation.
And Katja Hall, CBI Director of HR policy, added: "The Equality Act should in many respects make things clearer and simpler for employers.
"Bringing nine separate pieces of legislation together in one place should give employers more confidence in addressing diversity in the workplace.
"But the Government has missed an opportunity to say it will remove mandatory gender pay reporting from the legislation.
"Forcing companies to publish average salary figures for men and women could mislead people into thinking that women are paid less than men in the same role, which is rightly illegal, when differences will actually reflect the proportions of men and women in higher-paid jobs.
"The policy is also likely to backfire. Companies that have too few women in higher paid roles, and are trying to attract more, would be forced to publish a statistic that could deter female applicants and compound the problem."
For more information on what the Equality Act will mean, click here.
