Employment lawyers this week welcomed government proposals for a single Equality Act that would harmonise the complicated and often confusing legislation surrounding workplace issues of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.


Rachel Dineley, employment law partner at national firm Beachcroft, said: 'The government's commitment to harmonising and simplifying the law is welcome, but one cannot underestimate the difficulty of the task.'



She added that it would be necessary to comply with various European directives, 'but there must be no dilution of existing rights'.



Gay Moon, head of the equality project at lawyers' group Justice, said: 'What is now urgently needed is clear, accessible and consistent laws to counter discrimination and prejudice.'



Also welcoming the proposal for a single Act, Michael Short, chairman of the Law Society's employment law committee and consultant at Newcastle firm Short Richardson & Forth, said: 'The paper proposes several innovations, including more use of alternative dispute resolution to avoid the trauma and ill-feeling associated with employment tribunals.'



He also drew attention to the proposed extension of making 'reasonable adjustments' when recruiting staff. Rather than applying only to disabled candidates, the paper proposes extending it to all areas where people might experience prejudice.



The review also proposes to outlaw men-only golf clubs. Dr Katherine Rake, a director at campaigning group the Fawcett Society, said: 'This might be good news for women who play golf, but for the millions more who just want to be paid equally, it's a distraction.'



Jonathan Rayner