Peninsula creates 23 jobs

MANCHESTER employment law consultancy is to create 23 new jobs in its human resources advice service as it prepares for the introduction of the Equality Act next month.

Peninsula said it is already receiving more than 2,000 calls a week and it expects this number to increase.

Managing director Peter Done said: “We need employers prepared now, this is a complex piece of legislation and we are already receiving an influx of calls; so it’s important that we have a team of advisers on standby 24 hours a day to help employers.”

The new Act aims to simplify employment law by replacing previous pieces of legislation such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Mr Done added: “The Equality Act 2010 covers the same characteristics that are protected by existing discrimination legislation – age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity – but extends some protections to groups not currently covered, and also strengthens particular aspects of discrimination law.

“Whilst many of the fundamental principles of discrimination legislation are largely unaffected, there are some other rights and responsibilities that will either alter or be introduced.”