Marriage and Civil Partnerships Discrimination

Marriage and Civil partnerships discrimination at the workplace is where an employee is treated differently because he or she is either married or in a civil partnership.

The Equality Act 2010 protects this type of discrimination as it sets out that a person should not be discriminated against in employment because they are married or in a civil partnership. Marriage can be between a man or a woman or two people of the same sex and civil partnerships of the same sex.

There are three common types of marriage and civil partnership discrimination. Direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation.

Direct discrimination is being treated differently from other employees in your business because you are married or in a civil partnership.

Indirect discrimination happens when an employer’s method of working or policy makes people who are married or in a civil partnership feel inferior. A policy like this can only be permitted if an employer has a valid reason  and it is appropriate.

Victimisation occurs when you are treated unfairly because you have made a complaint of marriage or civil partnership related discrimination. This can also happen if you are supporting someone whose made the complaint.