Equality (Race and Disability) Bill: call for evidence
The Government has launched a wide-ranging call for evidence on proposed changes to equality and employment law. Employers are invited to share their views on equal pay, combined discrimination and workplace harassment by 30 June 2025.
Government launches wide-ranging call for evidence
On 7 April 2025, the Office for Equality and Opportunity issued a wide-ranging public call to help shape upcoming changes to equality and view the effectiveness of the current system. The consultation will help shape the forthcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.
The call for evidence is wide ranging and seeks evidence and views on the following areas:
- Pay discrimination: Examining the prevalence of pay discrimination based on race and disability, and ways to make the right to equal pay effective for ethnic minorities and disabled people.
- Outsourcing and equal pay: Ensuring that outsourcing services cannot be used by employers to avoid paying equal pay.
- Enforcement of equal pay rights: Proposing the establishment of an Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement Unit, with trade union involvement.
- Pay transparency: Improving transparency around pay to address inequalities.
- Combined discrimination: Strengthening protections against discrimination based on multiple characteristics.
- Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED): Ensuring all parties exercising public functions meet their equality duties.
- Workplace harassment: Creating and maintaining workplaces free from harassment.
- Socio-economic duty: Considering the commencement of the socio-economic duty to address inequalities.
The call for evidence is open for 12 weeks until 30 June 2025, and the separate consultation on mandatory pay reporting ends 10 June 2025.
Next steps for employers
The potential reforms under consideration are wide-ranging and, if implemented, could significantly impact workplace practices. However, these proposals are still at an early stage. The current call for evidence is intended to inform the development of future legislation, and further consultation is expected before any changes are introduced.
Employers may wish to use this period to review existing policies on equal pay, diversity, and harassment, and consider how current practices align with the areas under review. This is also an opportunity to contribute to the direction of future legislation.
For more information or advice, please contact Ella Straker in our Employment team on 07584 220 286, or complete the form below.