Effect
464.Under this section, contractual and relevant non-contractual terms which try to exclude or limit the operation of any provision in the Act (which includes those dealing with equality of terms) or a provision of secondary legislation made under the Act (for example regulations made under section 81 (ships and hovercraft)) are unenforceable by the person in whose favour the term operates. There are exceptions to this to allow negotiated settlement of claims in the following circumstances:
a contract settling a claim in an employment tribunal (including an agreement settling a claim for a breach of an equality clause) that has been negotiated with the help of a conciliation officer or which meets the standards set out in section 147 (meaning of qualifying compromise contract). This includes an arbitration agreement made in accordance with a scheme under section 212A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (where the parties agree to submit a dispute to arbitration);
a contract settling a county or sheriff court claim.