Equality Act 2010: A Guide to the New Law

Publisher: Law Society Publishing

General Editor: Michael Duggan

Price: £52.50

Edition: 1st Edition (September 2010)

ISBN: 978-1-85328-759-6

Buy from Law Society Publishing: Click Here

The Equality Act 2010 is perhaps one of the most important legislative developments in employment law in recent times.  It pulls together the various strands of equality legislation into one Act: the aim is to ensure that employers and their advisers are in no doubt at all over their obligations.  To try analyse this important legislative development, Law Society Publishing has published Equality Act 2010: A Guide to the New Law, written by a team of expert employment barristers from the well renowned Littleton Chambers.

Equality Act 2010: A Guide to the New Law adopts a familiar approach for Law Society Publishing's 'Legislation Guides' by having, as a general rule, one chapter dedicated to each part of the Equality Act 2010 followed by a copy of the Equality Act 2010.  The two exceptions are chapter 1, which deals with Parts 1 and 11, and chapter 14, which deals with Parts 14, 15 and 16.  The more substantive material, contained in Part 2, is split into two chapters: one dealing with protected characteristics and the other dealing with prohibited conduct.  At the start of the text, there is also a very useful 'abbreviations' page which lists the main abbreviations mentioned in the text.

Because the Equality Act 2010 essentially codifies earlier legislation, the authors usefully refer to existing principles which will probably apply to the Equality Act 2010.  For example, at page 49 the authors say that the "approach of the Court of Appeal in Mingeley v Pennock and Ivory [2004] IRLR 373 under the RRA 176 is likely to apply to the definition [of employment] in the Equality Act 2010".  This is extremely useful.  The text is also accessible and makes excellent use of bullet paragraphs to ensure the key principles are straight-forwardly explained.  The cross-referencing to the explanatory notes, which give examples, will also save practitioners a considerable amount of time.

For any employment lawyer, adviser or HR manager, Equality Act 2010: A Guide to the New Law will be an indispensible text.  It clearly explains the law and expresses a view on how the law is likely to be interpreted in the future.  It is also clearly laid out.  By including a complete copy of the Equality Act 2010, Equality Act 2010: A Guide to the New Law is likely to be a text that any self-respecting advocate will take to the Employment Tribunal.  Its price, at just over £50, also makes it excellent value for money.  I have no doubt that this will become a vital guide while the new law settles in.

Reviewed on 12 June 2011

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