Library : Legislation - Sexual Orientation

Civil Partnership Act 2004

The Civil Partnership Act came into effect on 5th December 2005. It enables same sex couples to have their relationships legally recognised by registering a civil partnership. They then have the same rights as a married couple in areas such as tax, social security, inheritance and workplace benefits.
Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 This regulation covers direct and indirect discrimination as well as harassment in the workplace because of a person’s sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is defined as: orientation towards persons of the same sex (lesbians and gay men), orientation towards persons of the opposite sex (heterosexual), orientation towards persons of the same sex and the opposite sex (bisexual). The regulations also recognise that in certain very specific circumstances to be of a specific sexual orientation may be a genuine occupational requirement. An example might be where the prime purpose of a job is to campaign to promote equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people.