Discrimination Solicitors

If you have been subjected to unlawful discrimination, you may be able to bring a claim against your employer in the Employment Tribunal.

If you are successful, the outcomes could be:

• Compensation – there is no cap on the level of compensation that can be awarded. Compensation is awarded for any financial loss suffered as a result of the discriminatory action as well as for “injury to feelings”.
• A declaration of your rights.
• A recommendation to your employer to stop the discrimination happening again.

We are extremely experienced in assisting and representing individuals with discrimination claims. Please click here for details of our cost for this service.

Yes, unlike some other claims, there is no qualifying period of employment required to bring a discrimination claim. There are, however, very short limitation periods to bring such claims in the Employment Tribunal and so it’s important to obtain advice as soon as possible to ensure you know your legal position and the options that may be available to you.  

Harassment is a type of discrimination. It is unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of violating your dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

A protected characteristic includes age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and/or sexual orientation.

If you have been discriminated against because of your protected characteristic it is important to:-

1. Keep a record of the incident(s) which can include writing down dates, details of the incident(s) and people involved;

2. Raise the complaint internally either informally or by submitting a formal grievance to your employer; and

3. Seek support from an employment solicitor early as you will have 3 months minus 1 day from the act of discrimination to take legal action against your employer.

Under the Equality Act 2010, you are considered disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term (lasting or likely to last 12 months or more) negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.

Your employer must not treat you less favourably or put you at a disadvantage because of your disability or something arising from your disability. Your employer should make reasonable adjustments to remove any barriers or disadvantages at work for you.

No but your employer will not be expected to make reasonable adjustments for you unless they know or should reasonably know about your disability.

Yes. The law protects you from Victimisation. This is where you have been treated badly for raising or supporting a discrimination or harassment complaint.

Representing a former senior in-house counsel for a multi-national manufacturing and logistics business.  On our client’s behalf we issued proceedings in the Employment Tribunal against multiple group companies and multiple individual Respondents.  Our client’s claims were complex involving issues of discrimination on grounds of sex, sexual orientation, nationality and disability.  The case also involved allegations of bullying, whistleblowing and victimisation. The proceedings were robustly defended.  We secured agreeable settlement terms for our client of a six figure sum plus legal costs.

Acting for a Chief Executive in a global engineering business who was asked to step down from his role to a less senior role.  We advised on all options available and the best way to manage the situation to secure the best possible exit terms.  We drafted a grievance on his behalf detailing his contribution to the business and the reasons why the proposed demotion must have been influenced by his race.  We subsequently negotiated with the employer and their lawyers to secure his continued employment for nine months while he secured alternative employment, together with a six figure settlement payment and generous arrangements in relation to his bonus and share options.

Successfully representing a visually impaired employee in relation to her claims for failure to make reasonable adjustments by her former employer. The employee had attended Access to Work, who had identified auxiliary aids to assist with her role and the employer failed to implement the same. At a final hearing, the Tribunal found that that the employer had failed in its duty to provide such reasonable adjustments and listed the matter for a remedy hearing. Prior to the remedy hearing, we assisted our client in negotiating a favourable settlement.

Representing a Finance Director of a scientific research company in relation to complex equal pay and discrimination claims, including various instances of direct and indirect sex discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Part way through the Tribunal proceedings, we further advised the client on her resignation and subsequently added a constructive dismissal claim to the proceedings. We conducted the litigation including drafting particulars of claim, witness statements and an extensive equal value statement and attended both voluntary judicial mediation and mandatory alternative dispute resolution on behalf of our client. We successfully negotiated a lucrative settlement prior to the lengthy final hearing. 

Acting for a Director in a national property business who faced derogatory comments and exclusion from work opportunities from male colleagues.  We lodged a grievance explaining her extensive concerns about how she had been treated less favourably than male colleagues and highlighting the low number of senior female employees in the business. We also submitted a data subject access request on her behalf, requesting data relating to her career progression and the work opportunities she had been excluding from.  We advised the employee on how best to manage her sickness absence during this time whilst negotiating with her employer and their lawyers.  We negotiated an extremely generous exit package, as she did not want to return to work, which gave her compensation equivalent to almost two years’ pay, bonus and benefits whilst also protecting her reputation and ability to seek new employment.