Resources : Equality & Diversity - General

• Legislation
• Housing - Regulation, Codes of Practice, Guidance and Policy
• Service Delivery - E&D
• Staff and Employment - E&D

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Legislation

Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act came into force from October 2010 providing a modern, single legal framework with clear, streamlined law to more effectively tackle disadvantage and discrimination.

Framework for a Fairer Future - The Equality Bill - Government Equalities Office. This document sets out the new measures in the Government’s Equality Bill which aims to streamline and strengthen existing discrimination legislation. The Equality Bill includes measures to:

• End age discrimination;
• Increase transparency and ban ‘gagging clauses’;
• Encourage Positive Action for women and other under-represented groups;
• and Introduce a new Equality Duty on the public sector.
  

The Human Rights Act 1998 The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in 2000 and gives legal effect in the UK to the fundamental rights and freedoms contained in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Article 14 of the Act specifically prohibits discrimination of any kind. This study guide produced by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in 2006 gives a brief overview of the Act.

Work & Families Act 2006 The Work & Families Act came into force in April 2007. It extended statutory maternity pay, maternity allowances and statutory adoption pay from 6 to 9 months. It also removed the length of service requirement for Additional Maternity Leave (AML) so that any employee entitled to Ordinary Maternity Leave is automatically entitled to AML and is able to take up to one year off work. In addition the Act introduced paternity leave for fathers and extended the right to request flexible working to carers. The Act also extended the period of notice for return from maternity leave to 2 months and introduced 'keeping in touch' days whereby women on maternity leave can return to work for a few days during their leave.

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Housing - Regulation, Codes of Practice, Guidance and Policy

Human Rights at Home: Guidance for Social Housing Providers. This EHRC guidance is intended to be a practical tool, to build your understanding and confidence in your ability to spot and deal with human rights issues. It provides examples of how human rights can be relevant throughout the housing journey from allocation to the termination of a tenancy. It also provides a checklist to help social housing providers review their policies and practices for human rights compatibility and address any issues effectively.

Audit Commission Housing Key Line of Enquiry 31 - Diversity Key lines of enquiry documents have been used by housing inspectors since 2004. This document was updated in November 2006, and was used for inspections on site from February 2007. It will not be revised further, but is retained by the Audit Commission for information.

TSA Regulatory Guidance These documents set out the TSA's approach to regulation of Registered Social Landlords and provides information on the Housing and regeneration Act 2008.

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Service Delivery - E&D

Embracing Diversity: A good practice guide - Housemark, August 2008 This good practice guide from House Mark explores the links between repairs and maintenance services and equality and diversity. The guide provides examples of how a variety of social housing providers and repairs and maintenance service providers are responding to the challenge of ensuring that they embed the values of diversity, and ensure that the composition of their workforce reflects the communities they work for. The report provides examples of good practice referring to customer experience, procurement, recruitment, and training.

Promoting Plain English Using clear, easy to read language is an essential part of providing good customer service. The Improvement and Development Agency have now published new guidelines about using plain English. The I&DEa define plain English as "language that a reader can understand in one reading. It only uses as many words as are necessary and takes into account layout as well as clear language."

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Staff and Employment - E&D

Talent not Tokenism: the business benefits of workforce diversity - EHRC, June 2008 This guide, produced by the CBI and TUC and supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, sets out the business case for promoting workplace diversity and provides advice for businesses on how to identify, nurture and promote talent right across the workforce.

Working Together: Stonewall new guidance for employers on practical ways of managing perceived tensions between gay people and people of faith in the 21st century workplace. Based on practical solutions already developed among the 470 major employers now working with the charity, the guide provides essential advice on how to avoid conflicts which can arise at work.