There are many examples of discrimination in the workplace that would be classed as unlawful. This includes:
- Direct discrimination – this might have taken place if you are treated badly at work as a direct result of having a “protected characteristic”. For example, if you are demoted, or receive a pay cut, because you have become pregnant.
- Indirect discrimination – indirect discrimination occurs if you are treated negatively at work in a way that is indirectly linked to your protected characteristic. For example, if you are a woman who cannot work full time due to childcare responsibilities and the organisation that you work for decides not to pay any bonuses to part-time employees, this might be indirect discrimination.
- Harassment – if you are treated in a way that makes you feel intimidated, humiliated or degraded at work because of a protected characteristic, this may be harassment.
- Victimisation – if you are treated in a negative way at work because you have done something such as brought, or threatened to bring, an employment tribunal claim, helped a colleague to bring an employment tribunal claim or have complained about treatment at work that you consider to be discriminatory, you may be being victimised.
