Sex discrimination

If you think you’ve been discriminated against at work because of your sex, our specialist solicitors might be able to help. We could help protect your reputation as well as help you make a settlement agreement or seek compensation.

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What legal help can I get with discrimination at work?

Workplace Under the Equality Act 2010, sex is a ‘protected characteristic’. This means you are legally protected from sex discrimination at work.

Our expert sex discrimination solicitors understand how difficult it can be if you’re facing discrimination at work. We’re with you every step of the way and will fight your corner no matter what obstacles you face. We’ll listen and give you the guidance you need to get the outcome you want and deserve.

You might be able to make a claim for sex discrimination in these scenarios:

Demotion – if your employer suddenly demotes you
Constructive dismissal – if you felt you had no choice but to leave your job
Unfair dismissal – if your employer dismissed you without a fair reason and didn’t follow the correct procedure
Recruitment discrimination – if you suspect your application has been rejected or you’re not selected for the job based on your sex
Redundancy – if you were selected for redundancy based on your sex alone and your employer didn’t follow the correct process
Withheld opportunities for promotion – if you were overlooked for a promotion or not given the chance to apply for one because of your sex
Bullying and harassment – when a person or group of people at work makes you feel humiliated, offended, intimidated, or degraded because of your sex
Victimisation – often happens if you’re treated badly for making a complaint or claim, or have supported someone else experiencing sex discrimination
Indirect discrimination – when your employer has a policy or practice (e.g. requiring all employees to work full time) which puts you at a disadvantage because of your sex.

Speak to our experts

We have the largest private client team in the UK, our team of experts are here to provide discreet legal advice to support you and your family.

Shah Qureshi

Partner

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Meet our experts

Shah Qureshi

Partner

Find out more

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to make a discrimination claim?

You have three months minus one day from the last act of discrimination to start the ACAS early conciliation process (you will need to do this before progressing to a tribunal). The ACAS process can take a month with two extra weeks if needed.

You will get an ACAS certificate allowing you to issue a claim in the Employment Tribunal. Your employer will get a copy and they’ll have 30 days to send their defence. The Tribunal will then set a date for a full hearing in six to nine months.

What are the possible outcomes of making a discrimination claim?

If your claim goes to the Employment Tribunal or to court, possible outcomes are:

Compensation
Declaration of your rights
Formal recommendation to your employer to prevent it happening again.

If we settle your claim through negotiation, we may be able to get a reference and an apology for you, as well as a confidentiality agreement and terms that protect your reputation. This can be much less stressful than going to court – and you may receive a more favourable compensation settlement.

Making an enquiry

We have several ways you can contact us, either by completing our online contact form, by phone, or using our live chat. If you start your journey online, here are the first steps to working together.

Complete our online form
We need a few details to understand your situation and the kind of support you need.
We’ll contact you by phone
On the call our experts will ask you a few more questions to make sure we connect you with the right legal advice from our team.
We arrange a full appointment
Your next step is an in-depth appointment with a specialist solicitor to discuss how we could advise you.

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