celebrating difference - ages 14-15 - piece 1 - equality
TRANSCRIPT
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success
Story 1
Pregnancy
Pregnant women in the armed forces will be given greater protection from discrimination after a ruling by the Employment Tribunal in 2010. The Equality and Human Rights Commission funded the case brought by a female officer against the Royal Air Force in which she claimed she was removed from her job and had her promotion prospects delayed because she was pregnant.
A law firm represented the officer, who was on a posting in the Falkland Islands when she informed her superiors that she was 12 weeks pregnant. Her request to stay on in her desk-based job was denied, despite her husband, who was also a RAF officer, being based on the Island and she was ordered to return to the UK immediately.
As she wanted to be with her husband during her pregnancy she was forced to take leave to return to the Falkland Islands. This meant she missed out on a performance review which delayed her promotion prospects.
The Tribunal found that the officer had been discriminated against because of pregnancy and awarded her more than £16,000. The Tribunal also recommended that the Ministry of Defence:
• carry out an individual risk assessment for each pregnant woman and consider adjusting their role to enable them to remain in their post,
• establish a monitoring process in respect of any removal of a pregnant woman from her post; and
• undertake a performance appraisal for each pregnant woman commencing maternity leave.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 2
Sex
In 2010, more than 4,000 female council workers have won the right to be paid the same as their male colleagues in a case which could lead to pay-outs worth about £200m.
An employment tribunal found in favour of female workers employed by Birmingham City Council in 49 different jobs, including lollipop ladies and cleaners, who complained of being excluded from bonuses – worth up to 160% of their basic pay – paid to men.
All the women were employed in traditionally female-dominated roles, such as cleaning, care and catering, as well as administrative jobs. During the seven- week hearing, the tribunal heard how a man doing the same pay-graded job as a woman could earn four times more than her.
Under a bonus scheme, male refuse collection staff sometimes received up to 160% of their basic pay. In one year a refuse collector took home £51,000, while women on the same pay grade received less than £12,000.
Unions described the women’s victory as a ‘major’ case which could encourage other female public sector workers to bring similar claims.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Year 10 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 3
Religion and belief
In 2008 a Muslim girl was awarded £4,000 after the owner of a hair salon refused to employ her because she wears a headscarf.
Bushra Noah, 19, who was rejected for 25 hairdressing jobs, had accused Sarah Desrosiers of discrimination after she failed to offer her a position in May last year. Ms Desrosiers, 32, said she needed staff to display their hairstyles to customers at the Wedge salon in King’s Cross, North London.
Mrs Noah, of Acton, West London, applied for a job as a junior assistant. When she arrived at the salon she claimed that the owner was shocked that she wore a headscarf. Ms Desrosiers told the court she was surprised that Mrs Noah had not mentioned it. She said she needed stylists to reflect the ‘funky, urban’ image of her salon.
The panel found that Mrs Noah had been badly upset by the 15-minute interview and awarded her £4,000 damages for ‘injury to feelings’.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 4
Sexual orientation
In 2010 a gay couple won their discrimination claim against the owners of a hotel in a landmark judgment in the Bristol County Court in a case which was funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The judge’s ruling in one of the first legal cases taken under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 means that people in civil partnerships will have greater protection from discrimination.
Civil partners Martyn Hall and Steve Preddy sued the owners of the Chymorvah Private Hotel in Cornwall on the grounds they were not allowed to share a double room because they were a gay couple.
The hotel owners, Peter and Hazel Bull, are devout Christians who do not allow couples who are not married to share double rooms because they do not believe in sex before marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Bull maintained that their refusal to accommodate civil partners in a double room was not to do with sexual orientation but ‘everything to do with sex’. The owners said the restriction applied equally to heterosexual couples who are not married.
Judge Rutherford ruled that the hotel had directly discriminated against the couple on the ground of their sexual orientation and awarded them compensation of £1,800 each.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 5
Age
In 2011, former BBC presenter Miriam O’Reilly won her age discrimination case against the BBC after she was dropped from BBC1’s rural affairs show, Countryfile.
O’Reilly, 53, took the BBC to court claiming discrimination after she was one of four female presenters, all in their 40s or 50s, who were dropped from the 23-year-old show. O’Reilly was dropped from the show, along with Charlotte Smith, Juliet Morris and Michaela Strachan, when it was moved from Sunday mornings to a new peak-time slot in April 2009.
The BBC said it chose new ‘second tier’ presenters for Countryfile over O’Reilly because they had ‘substantial network profile that might attract primetime audience’ - but the court ruled that this was not the case. ‘We consider age to be a significant factor in the decision not to consider O’Reilly.’
In the course of her evidence to the court O’Reilly claimed a Countryfile director had warned her ‘to be careful with those wrinkles when high definition comes in’ nine months before she was axed.
The tribunal said: ‘The wish to appeal to a prime-time audience, including younger viewers, is a legitimate aim. However, we do not accept that it has been established that choosing younger presenters is required to appeal to such an audience,’ the judgment stated.
The presenter, who received compensation from the BBC as a result of this verdict, told MediaGuardian.co.uk: ‘Words cannot describe how happy I feel. It’s historic and it’s going to have huge implications for all broadcasters.’
In light of the court’s ruling, the BBC said it would give additional training to senior editorial executives and issue new guidance on the fair selection of presenters.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 6
Stephanie’s Story
Stephanie is 9 years old and has Down’s Syndrome, autism and learning disabilities. She also has severe hypotonia, and has no sense of danger.
Stephanie was last assessed two years ago. Her parents were not asked once whether the care plan was working, or whether her needs had changed after one year.
Stephanie has to mobilise using furniture and assistance from her parents.
Stephanie was only receiving 1 hour of support per day from her Local Authority. Her mother, Rosie has a condition called Achilles Tendinopathy which causes her severe pain in her ankles.
Rosie took legal advice and her legal team wrote to the Local Authority requesting an immediate re-assessment of Stephanie’s needs, as well as a parent carers assessment for Rosie.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women in the armed forces will be given greater protection from discrimination after a ruling by the Employment Tribunal in 2010. The Equality and Human Rights Commission funded the case brought by a female officer against the Royal Air Force in which she claimed she was removed from her job and had her promotion prospects delayed because she was pregnant.
A law firm represented the officer, who was on a posting in the Falkland Islands when she informed her superiors that she was 12 weeks pregnant. Her request to stay on in her desk-based job was denied, despite her husband, who was also a RAF officer, being based on the Island and she was ordered to return to the UK immediately.
As she wanted to be with her husband during her pregnancy she was forced to take leave to return to the Falkland Islands. This meant she missed out on a performance review which delayed her promotion prospects.
The Tribunal found that the officer had been discriminated against because of pregnancy and awarded her more than £16,000. The Tribunal also recommended that the Ministry of Defence:
• carry out an individual risk assessment for each pregnant woman and consider adjusting their role to enable them to remain in their post,
• establish a monitoring process in respect of any removal of a pregnant woman from her post; and
• undertake a performance appraisal for each pregnant woman commencing maternity leave.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 2
Sex
In 2010, more than 4,000 female council workers have won the right to be paid the same as their male colleagues in a case which could lead to pay-outs worth about £200m.
An employment tribunal found in favour of female workers employed by Birmingham City Council in 49 different jobs, including lollipop ladies and cleaners, who complained of being excluded from bonuses – worth up to 160% of their basic pay – paid to men.
All the women were employed in traditionally female-dominated roles, such as cleaning, care and catering, as well as administrative jobs. During the seven- week hearing, the tribunal heard how a man doing the same pay-graded job as a woman could earn four times more than her.
Under a bonus scheme, male refuse collection staff sometimes received up to 160% of their basic pay. In one year a refuse collector took home £51,000, while women on the same pay grade received less than £12,000.
Unions described the women’s victory as a ‘major’ case which could encourage other female public sector workers to bring similar claims.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Year 10 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 3
Religion and belief
In 2008 a Muslim girl was awarded £4,000 after the owner of a hair salon refused to employ her because she wears a headscarf.
Bushra Noah, 19, who was rejected for 25 hairdressing jobs, had accused Sarah Desrosiers of discrimination after she failed to offer her a position in May last year. Ms Desrosiers, 32, said she needed staff to display their hairstyles to customers at the Wedge salon in King’s Cross, North London.
Mrs Noah, of Acton, West London, applied for a job as a junior assistant. When she arrived at the salon she claimed that the owner was shocked that she wore a headscarf. Ms Desrosiers told the court she was surprised that Mrs Noah had not mentioned it. She said she needed stylists to reflect the ‘funky, urban’ image of her salon.
The panel found that Mrs Noah had been badly upset by the 15-minute interview and awarded her £4,000 damages for ‘injury to feelings’.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 4
Sexual orientation
In 2010 a gay couple won their discrimination claim against the owners of a hotel in a landmark judgment in the Bristol County Court in a case which was funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The judge’s ruling in one of the first legal cases taken under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 means that people in civil partnerships will have greater protection from discrimination.
Civil partners Martyn Hall and Steve Preddy sued the owners of the Chymorvah Private Hotel in Cornwall on the grounds they were not allowed to share a double room because they were a gay couple.
The hotel owners, Peter and Hazel Bull, are devout Christians who do not allow couples who are not married to share double rooms because they do not believe in sex before marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Bull maintained that their refusal to accommodate civil partners in a double room was not to do with sexual orientation but ‘everything to do with sex’. The owners said the restriction applied equally to heterosexual couples who are not married.
Judge Rutherford ruled that the hotel had directly discriminated against the couple on the ground of their sexual orientation and awarded them compensation of £1,800 each.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 5
Age
In 2011, former BBC presenter Miriam O’Reilly won her age discrimination case against the BBC after she was dropped from BBC1’s rural affairs show, Countryfile.
O’Reilly, 53, took the BBC to court claiming discrimination after she was one of four female presenters, all in their 40s or 50s, who were dropped from the 23-year-old show. O’Reilly was dropped from the show, along with Charlotte Smith, Juliet Morris and Michaela Strachan, when it was moved from Sunday mornings to a new peak-time slot in April 2009.
The BBC said it chose new ‘second tier’ presenters for Countryfile over O’Reilly because they had ‘substantial network profile that might attract primetime audience’ - but the court ruled that this was not the case. ‘We consider age to be a significant factor in the decision not to consider O’Reilly.’
In the course of her evidence to the court O’Reilly claimed a Countryfile director had warned her ‘to be careful with those wrinkles when high definition comes in’ nine months before she was axed.
The tribunal said: ‘The wish to appeal to a prime-time audience, including younger viewers, is a legitimate aim. However, we do not accept that it has been established that choosing younger presenters is required to appeal to such an audience,’ the judgment stated.
The presenter, who received compensation from the BBC as a result of this verdict, told MediaGuardian.co.uk: ‘Words cannot describe how happy I feel. It’s historic and it’s going to have huge implications for all broadcasters.’
In light of the court’s ruling, the BBC said it would give additional training to senior editorial executives and issue new guidance on the fair selection of presenters.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd
Celebrating Difference - Ages 14-15 - Piece 1 - Equality Success Story 6
Stephanie’s Story
Stephanie is 9 years old and has Down’s Syndrome, autism and learning disabilities. She also has severe hypotonia, and has no sense of danger.
Stephanie was last assessed two years ago. Her parents were not asked once whether the care plan was working, or whether her needs had changed after one year.
Stephanie has to mobilise using furniture and assistance from her parents.
Stephanie was only receiving 1 hour of support per day from her Local Authority. Her mother, Rosie has a condition called Achilles Tendinopathy which causes her severe pain in her ankles.
Rosie took legal advice and her legal team wrote to the Local Authority requesting an immediate re-assessment of Stephanie’s needs, as well as a parent carers assessment for Rosie.