Discrimination is when you are being targeted against or ' less favourably' because of something that makes you different for example, age, race, sexuality, ability or religion. It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of these ' protected characteristics': age, gender reassignment, being married or in a civil partnership, being pregnant or on maternity leave, disability, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Discrimination can come in one of the following forms:
- direct discrimination - treating someone with a protected characteristic less favourably than others
- indirect discrimination - putting rules or arrangements in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage
- harassment - unwanted behaviour linked to a protected characteristic that violates someone’s dignity or creates an offensive environment for them
- victimisation - treating someone unfairly because they’ve complained about discrimination or harassment