SFA urges employers to draw up equality procedures

The Small Firms Association has warned employers to draw up procedures to adhere to equality legislation.

Speaking at the SFA's National Conference on Equality, the Assistant Director of the SFA, Patricia Callan, issued a warning on the need to draw up policies and procedures.

"Of the 60 equality decisions issued in 2003, almost 50% still involve gender discrimination, where legislation has been in place since the 1970s," said Ms Callan.

However, she warned that growing numbers of cases were being brought under the new categories introduced under the Employment Equality Act 1998.

In 2003, 13 cases involved age, nine involved race, six each involved disability, marital status, sexual orientation, family status and religion while two involved membership of the Travelling community.

The SFA conference aims to provide companies with an overview of their legal requirements, to show them how to turn equality policies into reality in the workplace.