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Race and Ethnicity

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against you directly or indirectly because of your race, ethnicity, religion or belief.

Race and ethnicity includes: your colour, nationality, citizenship, ethnic origin, or national origin.

Religion and beliefs include: 

  • you are (or are not) of a particular religion
  • you hold (or do not hold) a particular philosophical belief
  • someone thinks you are of a particular religion or hold a particular belief (this is known as discrimination by perception)
  • you are connected to someone who has a religion or belief (this is known as discrimination by association)

In the Equality Act religion or belief can mean any religion, for example an organised religion like Christianity, Judaism, Islam or Buddhism, or a smaller religion like Rastafarianism or Paganism, as long as it has a clear structure and belief system. The Equality Act also covers non-belief or a lack of religion or belief.

Religion or belief discrimination | EHRC

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