The Equality Bill, which passed through parliament last Tuesday, will impact on all of us in some way – as individuals, employers, consumers of public services, and bidders for public sector contracts. The Bill is wide-ranging but here are some highlights that Social Firms may be particularly interested in.
From October employers will not be able to ask job applicants about their mental health, or any other details of their medical history, before an interview. This will close a loop that currently allows employers to reject someone on health grounds without even giving them an opportunity to show what they can do.
From next April a new duty will be placed on public sector organisations who will have to consider how they can promote equality through their commissioning and procurement activities, as well as in their wider services. This has the potential to open the door for more Social Firms to gain pubic sector contracts, because of the added value they bring. For more details of all the new protections and requirements see the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.