Equality Act 2010

83 Interpretation and exceptions

(1) This section applies for the purposes of this Part.

(2) “Employment” means—

(a) employment under a contract of employment, a contract of apprenticeship or a contract personally to do work;

(b) Crown employment;

(c) employment as a relevant member of the House of Commons staff;

(d) employment as a relevant member of the House of Lords staff.

(3) This Part applies to service in the armed forces as it applies to employment by a private person; and for that purpose—

(a) references to terms of employment, or to a contract of employment, are to be read as including references to terms of service;

(b) references to associated employers are to be ignored.

(4) A reference to an employer or an employee, or to employing or being employed, is (subject to section 212(11)) to be read with subsections (2) and (3); and a reference to an employer also includes a reference to a person who has no employees but is seeking to employ one or more other persons.

(5) “Relevant member of the House of Commons staff” has the meaning given in section 195 of the Employment Rights Act 1996; and such a member of staff is an employee of—

(a) the person who is the employer of that member under subsection (6) of that section, or

(b) if subsection (7) of that section applies in the case of that member, the person who is the employer of that member under that subsection.

(6) “Relevant member of the House of Lords staff” has the meaning given in section 194 of that Act (which provides that such a member of staff is an employee of the Corporate Officer of the House of Lords).

(7) In the case of a person in Crown employment, or in employment as a relevant member of the House of Commons staff, a reference to the person’s dismissal is a reference to the termination of the person’s employment.

(8) A reference to a personal or public office, or to an appointment to a personal or public office, is to be construed in accordance with section 52.

(9) “Crown employment” has the meaning given in section 191 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

(10) Schedule 8 (reasonable adjustments) has effect.

(11) Schedule 9 (exceptions) has effect.