Associative discrimination and harassment

The definition of direct discrimination is broad enough to prohibit discrimination against a person who does not have the protected characteristic because they associate with someone who does. For instance, in the case of an employer that discriminated against an employee who needed time off because her husband was suffering from leukaemia (Price v Action-Tec Services Ltd t/a Associated Telecom Solutions ET /1304312/2011).

Similarly, it is discrimination to harass an individual by using insulting language linked to the protected characteristic — i.e. for example, a disabled worker with a stammer who is mimicked and teased by colleagues.