LRD guides and handbook August 2009

Organising and bargaining in the downturn - a guide for unions

Chapter 2

Public sector equality duty

[ch 2: page 26]

Where changes are being made in the public sector, the employer has a duty to carry out an equality impact assessment. Changes may particularly adversely affect a certain group (assess the ethnic and gender composition of workers who are more vulnerable to reductions in earnings, increased duties, disruption to schedules and so on). Employers must recognise the hardship that their proposals may cause and, where appropriate, take steps to alleviate the impact of the changes.