The Discrimination Act – protection against discrimination in working life
The Discrimination Act regulates protection against discrimination in working life and applies to both job seekers and employees. The act covers the seven grounds of discrimination: sex, gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation, and age.
What is discrimination according to the law?
Discrimination means a difference in treatment based on one of the protected
grounds of discrimination. This could be, for example, that a person is not allowed
work or that they are not promoted due to their ethnic background, age, or disability.
Direct and indirect discrimination – the difference
Discrimination can be direct, when a person is treated worse than someone else in a
comparable situation, or indirectly, when a rule or procedure appears neutral but
in practice disadvantages a certain group. Indirect discrimination can, for example, arise
and a requirement for a certain characteristic that may seem neutral but excludes certain
groups, text to require a certain length for a paper without it being required to perform just
these tasks.
Harassment, sexual harassment, and instruction to discriminate
The law also covers harassment, sexual harassment, and instructions to
Discrimination. Harassment means that someone, through repeated or obvious
actions are subjected to degrading treatment with the purpose of violating the person's
integrity and create a threatening, hostile, or humiliating environment.
Prohibition of discrimination in working life and recruitment
The prohibition applies in several areas of working life, including during employment, in terms of working conditions, promotion, and other decisions related to employment. Also
the recruitment process is covered by anti-discrimination protection, which means that
Employers may not discriminate against job seekers in hiring decisions.
Support and questions about the Discrimination Act – how we work
We assist with cases concerning discrimination in the workplace, harassment, and recruitment matters. We provide a legal assessment of whether the circumstances may fall under the Discrimination Act and can also help with further handling of the case.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Discrimination Act
What forms of discrimination exist according to the Discrimination Act?
Direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and
Instructions to discriminate.
Does the discrimination act apply to recruitment?
Yes, the protection already applies during the recruitment process and covers job applicants.
How many grounds for discrimination are there?
There are seven protected grounds under the law.
Can a neutral rule still be discriminatory?
Yes, if a rule specifically disadvantages a protected group, it can be indirect discrimination.