Whilst almost half of the Scottish workforce is made up of women, occupational segregation is common. Women are in the majority in a specific range of occupations including administrative and secretarial, and personal servie jobs. Women are less likely than men to work as managers or senior officials.
The Sex Discrimination Act offers women an dmen protection against discrimination and victimisation in the workplace. It also prohibits discrimination in employment against married people. Employers should be aware that the legislation also covers discrimination during recruitment processes, therefore potential employees also have a right not to be treated less favourably on the grounds of their gender.
More recently, the legislation was expanded to offer protection to individuals who intend to undergo, are undergoing, or have undergone gender reassignment.
In addition to the legislation discussed, there is also additional legislation that employers will need to understand, as failure to comply can still amount to sex discrimination.
For example, employees have rights to request flexible working to enable better work/life balance. Since the majority of women still bear the bulk of responsibility for care in the home, it is possible that refusing the right to work more flexibly may amount to discrimination. Employers also have to emsure that part-time workers are not treated less favourably than comparable full-time workers.
Good business practice would be to review existing policies, practices and procedures to ensure that equality of opportunity exists for both men and women and consider positive action to help redress any imbalances.
Links
- ACAS
- Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
- Full information on the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.
- Engender
- Engender works to make Scotland a fairer, safer place where women can flourish and contribute to both the social and market economies with dignity, freedom and justice.
- Equality and Human Rights Commission
- An independent body established to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sex or marital status.
- Opportunity Now
- A business led initiative promoting the contribution of women at all levels of the workforce.
- Prowess
- Prowess is a network of organisations and individuals who support the growth of women's business ownership. Our work encompasses raising awareness, sharing of best practice, advocacy and information.
- Women and Equality Unit
- Aims to reduce and remove barriers to opportunity for all.
- Fawcett Society
- Fawcett's vision is of a society in which women and men are equal partners at home, at work and in public life.
