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Question

Difficulty: MediumEqual Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination

In the United Kingdom, the Equality Act 2010 was introduced to consolidate and strengthen previous anti-discrimination laws, such as the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act. The Act aims to protect individuals from unfair treatment in the workplace, in education, and when accessing services like shops or healthcare. To achieve this, it identifies nine specific 'protected characteristics'. Which of the following is one of these nine characteristics?

  1. Pregnancy and maternityAnswer
  2. B
    Being a member of an established church
  3. C
    Living in a specific geographical part of the UK
  4. D
    The historical right to equal voting achieved in 1928

Answer

The correct answer is pregnancy and maternity, as it is one of the nine protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination based on 'Pregnancy and maternity'. This ensures that women cannot be treated unfavourably because they are pregnant, have a pregnancy-related illness, or are on maternity leave.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the relevant legislation mentioned in the stem.
The Equality Act 2010.
The question specifically asks about the 'protected characteristics' defined by this specific Act.
2
Recall the nine protected characteristics listed in the official handbook.
The nine characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
These are the only categories legally protected from discrimination under the 2010 framework.
3
Compare the provided options to the recalled list.
Only 'Pregnancy and maternity' appears on the official list of nine characteristics.
This confirms the correct choice while identifying the others as unrelated or historical concepts.

Key Concept

The nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010
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Topics

Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination

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