[front cover] |
|
The Race |
|
| Relations |
| Act |
| 1968 |
Price 6d net |
HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE
|
The Race Relations Act 1968 |
| Discrimination and segregation |
The Act defines discrimination as treating a person less favourably
than another person on grounds of colour, race, or ethnic or national
origins in the provision to the public of goods, facilities and services,
and in employment and housing. |
| Discrimination includes segregating people on grounds of colour,
race, or ethnic or national origins. |
| Throughout this booklet 'discriminate' and 'discrimination' are
used in that sense. |
Goods, facilities and services |
| It is unlawful to discriminate in the provision to the public, or
a section of the public, of any goods, facilities or services. Examples
are given of such facilities and services. They include: |
| access to, and use of, any place which members of the public are
permitted to enter |
| facilities for entertainment, recreation, refreshment, transport
or travel |
| accommodation in a hotel, boarding house or similar establishment |
| facilities for education, instruction or training |
| facilities for banking, insurance, grants, loans, credits or finance |
| the services of any business, profession, trade, local or public
authority |
| These are given as examples only. |
Employment |
It is unlawful for an employer or anyone concerned with the employment
of others to discriminate against a person by refusing to employ
him for work which is available and for which he is qualified, or
by refusing him the same terms and conditions of work which are
available to others having the
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same qualifications. This includes making available the same opportunities
for training and promotion as are given to other employees.
It is unlawful to dismiss a person on discriminatory grounds.
Organisations of employers or workers, or other organisations concerned
with carrying on any trade, business, profession or occupation,
act unlawfully if they refuse membership to people on discriminatory
grounds or, for the same reason, refuse a member the same benefits
and services which are available to other members. |
Exemptions in employment |
| Employers employing 25 people, or less, are exempted for two years.
For two years after that the number will be 10 or less, and after
that the exemption will fall away. |
| Another exemption deals with 'racial balance'. This is where an
employer may, in certain circumstances only, discriminate in good
faith to preserve a balance of people of different racial groups in
an undertaking, or part of an undertaking. Before a racial balance
claim can be justified several factors will need to be considered
- for example, the extent to which a racial balance facilitates integration,
and the proportion of coloured workers in different departments and
in different jobs. |
| Persons born, or wholly or mainly educated in, Britain cannot be
discriminated against under the racial balance exemption. |
| Further exemptions deal with employment in private households, employment
abroad, and on ships and aircraft. |
Housing |
| It is unlawful to discriminate in selling or letting housing accommodation,
business premises or land, or in the treatment of tenants. |
| This means that it would be unlawful for an owner-occupier to discriminate
in selling his house. |
| This applies to local authority as well as to private housing. |
Exemptions in housing |
| A person who has the power to provide or dispose of residential
accommodation is exempted if he lives (and intends to continue) |
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