Free discrimination law training ‘will dispel myths’
FREE training to help people understand the forthcoming anti-discrimination law will help dispel some of the myths surrounding its impact, according to the president of Employment & Social Security.
It has taken several years for the law to reach the point where it is now in the final stages of drafting and is due to come to the States for final approval in September.
Along the way it has faced opposition from business groups, fearful of the impact the changes might have on employers.
Even at this late stage it is still possible that the law could be amended, but ESS president Peter Roffey urged any States members thinking of doing this to talk to the Law Officers first.
‘If you change the wording of one bit of what is quite a complex law it has ramifications for all the clauses of the legislation.’
Assuming it is approved, training courses will begin in October to accompany resources being made available online.
A consortium of experts was chosen last year to deliver the programme with the Guernsey Institute and law firm Walkers chosen by ESS to head the group after a tender process.
The Consortium also includes Equality Guernsey, Guernsey Employment Trust and Focus HR.
The new law will make it unlawful for employers and service providers to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, carer status, disability or sexual orientation.
Louise Misselke, principal of the Guernsey Institute, said even if the law was amended in September, the training courses would still go ahead.
‘Our package of training will be available in person and online, with a range of dates and times from autumn 2022 to spring 2023.’
Five modules will be run, each on four occasions between October and March, and sessions will last about 90 minutes each.
Sarah Ash, group partner in the employment law practice group at Walkers in Guernsey, said there will be a basic introduction then the course will focus on specific elements of the law.
Sessions will be repeated at different times so that people can work around other commitments.
‘We want to ensure that employers, businesses, voluntary groups, members of the public and others impacted by the new legislation fully understand the new rights and protections afforded by the law and their responsibilities under it, so they can prepare in advance of the ordinance coming into force,’ she said.
The ordinance will extend protections which under the current legislation are limited to the field of employment only, to cover conduct at work, goods and services, education, clubs and associations and accommodation, initially across the five new protected grounds.
In the future, Deputy Roffey said the law will be expanded to include age and gender. ‘There is some basic gender legislation already but it needs to be looked at again,’ he said.
Trans issues are also still to be looked at.
‘I hope the training will be taken up by a lot of people. It’s free and I think it will dispel a lot of myths,’ he said.
. More details can be found at www.consortium.gg
