Hello Ben,
The legislation is more of less as we expected. However the date for publishing information has moved to the 31st January 2012 from December 2011.
I think I will need to do a bit more work on our published information, to include our EIA information, and generally package it into a document, rather like an Equality scheme annual report I think.
Most people that I have met from other HEIs are worried about their first round of objective writing. I would like DMU to host a seminar in September with ECU. Would you be happy for us to do this?
Best wishes
Christine
Dr Christine Nightingale
Equality & Diversity Adviser
DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY
Leicester LE1 9BH
T: +44 (0) 116 2506436
W: dmu.ac.uk
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ellen Pugh
Sent: 28 June 2011 17:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Public sector equality duty: Specific duties for England
Dear colleagues,
The public sector equality duty England: Specific duties
Today (28 June 2011), the government announced that it has laid the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 before Parliament for approval.
Subject to parliamentary approval, the government expects the regulations to come into force before 19 July 2011.
The specific duties regulations are intended to support higher education institutions (HEIs) to meet the requirements of the public sector equality duty. The equality duty means that HEIs need to have ‘due regard’ to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. The equality duty covers age, gender reassignment, disability, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. Marriage and civil partnership is covered in relation to the need to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Specific duties
The specific duties regulations require higher education institutions (HEIs) to publish:
= One or more equality objectives by 6 April 2012, and thereafter at least every four years. Equality objectives must be specific and measurable and relate to the achievement of the equality duty.
= Information to demonstrate their compliance with the equality duty by 31 January 2012 and thereafter, at least annually.
The information that HEIs are required to publish must relate to employees (for HEIs employing 150 or more staff) and others affected by their policies and practices such as students and other service users who share a relevant protected characteristic.
The information must be published in a manner that is accessible to the public and can be published within another published document.
Assessing the effect of policies and practices
There are no requirements in the draft regulations to conduct impact assessments or engage people from protected groups.
However, the government has made clear in its policy review paper Equality Act 2010: The public sector Equality Duty: reducing bureaucracy that:
‘... under the requirements of the general duty to have ‘due regard’ to the matters set out in the Act, public bodies will need to understand the effect of their policies and practices on equality – this will involve looking at evidence, engaging with people, staff, service users and others and considering the effect of what they do on the whole community.’
The Equality and Human Rights Commission will be providing guidance on good practice on assessing the effect of policies and practices. In the meantime ECU recommends that HEIs review and revise their existing impact assessment processes to ensure that they are fit for purpose and cover the new protected characteristics.
Further information
ECU will update our briefing Equality Act 2010: Public sector equality duty: England when the new regulations are approved. While the proposed specific duties for England have changed, this briefing continues to provide examples, pointers and further resources which will help institutions show due regard to the public sector equality duty. The revised briefing ECU will look to mirror the list of broad information the EHRC recommends for the employment context to the student context.
ECU and the Higher Education Equal Opportunities Network recently ran four events to help equality and diversity practitioners and HR staff in England get to grips with the forthcoming specific duties for England. The presentations from these events are now available online. The presentations reflect the changes resulting from the GEO announcement of the new draft regulations.
= Equality Act: meeting the specific duties materials
You can find further information about the Equality Act on our dedicated Equality Act 2010 homepage.
ECU will be looking to support HEIs in the coming period and will be providing updated frequently asked questions on our website http://www.ecu.ac.uk/subjects/equality-act-2010
Please email ECU at [log in to unmask] with any further queries.
About ECU
Equality Challenge Unit works to further and support equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education across all four nations of the UK.
ECU works closely with colleges of higher education and universities to seek to ensure that staff and students are not unfairly excluded, marginalised or disadvantaged because of age, disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or through any combination of these characteristics or other unfair treatment.
Providing a central source of expertise, research, advice and leadership, we support institutions in building a culture that provides equality of both opportunity and outcome, promotes good relations, values the benefits of diversity and provides a model of equality for the wider UK society.
W: www.ecu.ac.uk E: [log in to unmask] T: 020 7438 1010
Ellen Pugh
Senior Policy Adviser
T: 020 7438 1015
M: 07540 000 168
E: [log in to unmask]
Equality Challenge Unit
7th floor, Queens House
55/56 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London, WC2A 3LJ
T: 020 7438 1010
F: 020 7438 1011
W: www.ecu.ac.uk
Follow us on Twitter: @EqualityinHE
Equality Challenge Unit
Company limited by guarantee with company registration number 05689975
Registered charity in England and Wales with charity registration number 1114417
Registered office: 7th floor, Queens House, 55/56 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LJ, United Kingdom.
Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) works to further and support equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education across all four nations of the UK. ECU is funded by Universities UK, GuildHE, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, the Scottish Funding Council and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland.
Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained within this email is accurate and up to date, ECU cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. The information is not a substitute for legal advice, and should you require more specific advice you should consult an appropriately qualified professional adviser.
This message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient you should not copy or disclose this message to anyone but should kindly notify the sender and delete the message. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of ECU shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. No contracts shall be concluded by means of this email.
Neither ECU nor the sender accepts any responsibility for viruses. The administrator of this email service reserves the right to access and disclose all messages sent over its email system.