Positive action for women in employment: Time to align with Europe?

Journal of Law and Society

Volumn 33, Issue 1, 2006, Pages 24-41

  Burrows, Noreen ^a   Robison, Muriel ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW   (United Kingdom)

^b Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 33645140967     PISSN: 0263323X     EISSN: 14676478     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6478.2006.00345.x     Document Type: Article

References (42)

1. Because of the considerable differences, we do not discuss discrimination law as it applies in Northern Ireland.
2. The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations, S.I. 2003 No. 1660; the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations, S.I. 2003 No. 1661.
3. A. McColgan, Discrimination Law: Text, Cases and Materials (2005, 2nd edn.).
4. Both terms convey a sense of equality before the law irrespective of the context in which discrimination law operates.
5. See below, p. 34.
6. Council Directive 76/207/EC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions, OJ/9 February 1976/L39/40.
7. Article 141(4) TEC and Council Directive 2000/78 of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, OJ/27 November 2000/L303/16. Article 7 of the Directive states that 'with a view to ensuring full equality in practice, the principle of equal treatment shall not prevent any Member State from maintaining or adopting specific measures to prevent or compensate for disadvantages linked to any of the grounds' referred to in the Directive.
8. See 〈http://www.e-government.cabinet-office.gov.uk/about/〉.
9. C. McCrudden, quoted in McColgan, Discrimination Law: Text, Cases and Materials op. cit., n. 3, p. 131.
10. See, further, below, pp. 30, 34.
11. S. Fredman, Discrimination Law (2002) 126.
12. T. Hervey, 'EC Law on Justifications for Sex Discrimination in Working Life" in Collective Bargaining, Discrimination, Social Security and European Integration, ed. R. Blanpain (2003) 104.
13. S. Fredman, The Future of Equality in Britain (2002) 6.
14. The term is McCrudden's, The Future of Equality in Britain op. cit., n. 9.
15. Fredman, The Future of Equality in Britain op. cit., n. 13, p. 6.
16. id., p. 12.
17. Unlike, for example, in relation to election candidacies: see A. McHarg, 'Quotas for Women! The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002', in this issue, pp. 145-7.
18. M. Sargeant (ed.), Discrimination Law (2004) 39.
19. Case C-450/93, Kalanke v. Freie Hansestadt Bremen [1995] ECR 1-3051; Case C-409/95, Marschall v. Land Nordrhein-Westfalen [1997] ECR 1-6363; Case C-158/97, Badeck v. Hessischer Ministerprasident [2000] ECR 1-1875; Case C-407/98, Abrahamsson and Anderson v. Fogelqvist [2000] ECR 1-5539; Case C-476/99, Lommers v. Minister van Landbouw, Natuurbeheer en Visserij [2002] ECR 1-2891, Case C-319/03, Briheche v. Ministre de l'Intérieur, Ministre de l'Education and Ministre de la Justice, not yet reported in ECR.
20. Kalanke, id., para. 18.
21. Briheche, Discrimination Law op. cit., n. 19, para. 24.
22. Case C-218/98, Abdoulaye v. Régie Nationale des Usines Renault SA [1999] ECR I-5723.
23. Case C-366/99, Griesmar v. Ministre de l'Economie, des Finances et de l'Industrie [2001] ECR 1-9383.
24. Directive 2002/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 amending Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions, OJ/5 December 2002/L 269/15.
25. The equivalent provisions of the RRA are ss. 37 and 38.
26. The only other exceptions are s. 49 relating to trades unions' elective bodies and the recent changes made by the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act; see McHarg, Discrimination Law op. cit., n. 17.
27. See 〈http://.eoc.org.uk/EOCeng/EOCcs/Advice/ managing_successful_postive_ - action.asp〉.
28. Sex Discrimination Bill Notes on Clauses, Clause 41, Standing Committee, Sixth Sitting, 8 May 1975.
29. ss. 47(2)(b) and 48(2)(b).
30. ss. 47(1 )(a) and 48(1 )(a), respectively.
31. s. 47(3).
32. Lord Jacques, 362 H.L. Debs., col. 1214 (15 July 1975).
33. Equal Opportunities Commission, Advancing Women in the Workplace: Statistical Analysis, working paper no. 12 and Advancing Women in the Workplace: Case Studies, working paper no. 13 (both 2004).
34. s. 47(4).
35. ET case no. 1201171/98 (EOR DCLD 41).
36. EAT/788/97.
37. Samuel Hardie v. James Watt College, ET case no. S/101550/98.
38. COM(2005) 44, final report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions on Equality Between men and Women. DTI, Women and Equality Unit, Key Indicators of Women's Position in Britain (2002).
39. See n. 2 above.
40. Discussed in McColgan, Key Indicators of Women's Position in Britain op. cit., n. 3, pp. 151-7.
41. The Disability Symbol, double tick, was developed by Jobcentre Plus. See 〈http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/Customers/ HelpForDisabledPeople/DisabilitySymbol〉.
42. As is currently the case in Germany: Equal Opportunities Review, April 2001.