🇬🇧 Your rights in United Kingdom

Equal pay

Under the Equality Act 2010, women and men are entitled to equal pay for like work, work rated as equivalent, or work of equal value for the same employer. Pay includes basic pay, bonuses, overtime, pensions and other contractual benefits.

• Your contract cannot stop you discussing your pay with colleagues to find out whether there is a difference connected to sex.
• Employers with 250 or more employees in Great Britain must publish gender pay gap figures.
• An employer can defend a difference only if it is due to a genuine material factor that is not sex discrimination.

You can raise a grievance first. Claims go to an employment tribunal, usually after Acas early conciliation, and time limits apply, so get advice promptly.

Harassment at work

Sexual harassment and harassment related to sex are unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. Harassment is unwanted conduct that violates your dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

• Employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
• You must not be treated badly for complaining or for rejecting sexual advances.
• Keep a dated record of incidents, witnesses and evidence, and raise a written grievance if it is safe to do so.

Most tribunal claims require you to contact Acas for early conciliation first. The time limit is short — usually three months less one day from the act complained of — so seek advice quickly. Harassment may also be a criminal offence.

Pregnancy and maternity

It is unlawful to treat you unfavourably because of pregnancy or maternity leave, and dismissal for a reason connected to pregnancy is automatically unfair, whatever your length of service.

• Employees are entitled to up to 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave, regardless of how long they have worked for the employer. Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance depends on your earnings and work history.
• You have the right to paid time off for antenatal appointments.
• Your employer must assess workplace risks to you and your baby and make changes if needed.
• You have extra protection against redundancy during pregnancy, maternity leave and for a period after you return.

Shared parental leave may let you share leave with your partner. Tell your employer about your pregnancy in writing within the required notice period.

Flexible work

Employees have a legal right to request flexible working from their first day of employment. This can cover your hours, times, days or place of work, including working from home, part-time work, compressed hours or job sharing.

• Make your request in writing and say it is a statutory request.
• Your employer must handle it reasonably, consult you before refusing, and give a decision within a set period.
• A request can only be refused for one of a list of business reasons set out in law.

Refusing a request in a way that disadvantages women, for example because of childcare responsibilities, may also be indirect sex discrimination. The government has proposed further changes to flexible working rules, so check the latest guidance from Acas.

Protection from domestic abuse

Domestic abuse includes physical, sexual, emotional, economic and controlling or coercive behaviour. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 set out a legal definition of abuse in England and Wales, and controlling or coercive behaviour is a criminal offence.

In England and Wales, family courts can make:

• Non-molestation orders, which forbid an abuser from threatening, harassing or contacting you. Breaching one is a crime.
• Occupation orders, which decide who can live in the family home.

Orders can be made urgently, sometimes without the abuser being told in advance. Police can also issue short-term protection notices. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own laws and orders. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Separation and divorce

In England and Wales, divorce is no-fault: you or your spouse, or both of you jointly, can apply by stating that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, without blaming anyone. There is a minimum waiting period before the divorce can be finalised.

• Financial arrangements are decided separately, by agreement or by a court financial order. Without one, financial claims may remain open.
• Arrangements for children are based on the child's welfare, and mediation is usually expected before court unless there has been domestic abuse.
• Pensions can be shared or taken into account.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have different divorce rules. Before separating, try to gather copies of financial documents, if it is safe to do so.

Legal aid and free legal help

Legal aid is available in some cases, depending on your income, savings and the type of problem.

• In family cases, legal aid in England and Wales is mostly limited to situations where there is evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse, or for mediation.
• Help may also be available for some housing, debt and discrimination problems.
• Applying for a protective order such as a non-molestation order may qualify for legal aid without a means test in some circumstances.

Other free help includes Citizens Advice, law centres, the Equality Advisory and Support Service, trade unions and some solicitors' free initial consultations. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legal aid systems with different rules.