Late guidance on Equality Act ‘risks confusion’

Guidance on how employers should handle the introduction of the Equality Act 2010 has come too late and risks creating widespread confusion, lawyers have warned. The long-anticipated Equality Act, which rationalises existing rights as well as adding new responsibilities in the disabilities, will come into force on 1 October. However, guidance on how the old laws will be phased out and the new laws brought in was only issued last week. This says that acts of discrimination that took place entirely before October will be dealt with under the new laws, but continuing situations that include dates from October onwards will come under the new rules.