The Women and Equalities Committee published a report this week, following a year-long inquiry into the Equality Act 2010 and the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
The Committee’s inquiries into pregnancy and maternity discrimination, transgender equality, disability and the built environment, workplace dress codes, older people and employment and sexual harassment in the workplace all identified widespread problems with enforcement.
It called on the EHRC to ‘be bolder’ in tackling discrimination, and recommended that a ‘critical mass’ of cases be developed to inform organisations about their legal duties. It recommended that the EHRC move away from its reliance on individual litigation to create precedents, and make obligations on employers and public authorities explicit and enforceable.
Committee chair Maria Miller MP said: ‘We need a fundamental shift in approach.’
