Equality Act 2010 Explanatory Notes

Examples
  • An employee who settled a claim at an employment tribunal on the advice of a lawyer who works for the employer he was seeking to sue would still be able to pursue the claim (assuming a conciliation officer was not involved in the settlement). The settlement agreement would be unenforceable because the lawyer had a conflict of interest and therefore the agreement would not be a qualifying compromise contract.

  • An employee who settled a claim of harassment in a contract which also provides that she will forego all other claims arising under the Act in exchange for a fixed sum would still be able to pursue a claim for damages because of a discriminatory failure to promote her. The term of the contract precluding all claims would be unenforceable in respect of the discrimination claim because it is insufficiently tailored to the circumstances of the claim and therefore is not a qualifying compromise contract in respect of it.

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