Legal action
Protecting carers from discrimination at work
Published: 9 September 2015
Last updated: 9 September 2015
What countries does this apply to?
Case details
| Protected Characteristic | Disability |
|---|---|
| Types of equality claim | Discrimination arising from disability, Indirect discrimination |
| Court or tribunal | Other |
| Decision has to be followed in | England, Scotland, Wales |
| Law applies in | England, Scotland, Wales |
| Case state | Concluded |
| Our involvement | Legal assistance (section 28 of the Equality Act 2006) |
| Outcome | Judgment |
| Areas of life | Work |
| Public sector equality duty | Yes |
Case name: Coleman v Attridge Law
A woman claimed that her workplace discriminated against her because of her son’s disability. We supported the case to clarify whether the Equality Act covers people who experience discrimination or harassment because of their association with someone with a protected characteristic.
Legal issue
Can a person be covered by the equalities legislation because of their association with someone who has a protected characteristic?
Background
Sharon Coleman claimed she had been discriminated against and harassed by her employer in her role as Legal Secretary at Attridge Law LLP because of her son’s disability.
Why we were involved
This case relates to our priority aim about work. We want to make sure that people in Britain have equal access to the labour market and are treated fairly at work.
What we did
We assisted Ms Coleman’s case using our powers under section 28 of the Equality Act 2006. The case reached the European Court of Justice.
What happened
The Court decided that non-disabled people who experience discrimination or harassment because of their association with a disabled person are protected by the Equality Act.
Who will benefit
The judgment had a significant impact in extending legal protection for the six million carers in the UK, 60% of whom are women. It also helped to improve and extend domestic equality law in the form of the Equality Act 2010.
Date of hearing
Page updates
Published:
9 September 2015
Last updated:
9 September 2015
