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Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of National AIDS Trust (NAT), comments on the Equality Act coming into effect on 1 October:
‘As the long awaited Equality Act comes into force today, employers will be required to adhere to new regulations and responsibilities in the field of discrimination. These changes mark a big step forward for people living with HIV, as many have been subject to HIV-related prejudice and discrimination during the recruitment process.
‘As of 1 October, the Equality Act prohibits the use of pre-employment healthcare questionnaires and medical examinations prior to an offer of employment. This change will remove important barriers to people living with HIV entering the workplace, such as feeling disclosing their status may make them vulnerable to discrimination from a potential employer or concern their HIV status will not be kept confidential. In addition, worrying about the implications of withholding information on their HIV status at an early stage of the recruitment process.
‘NAT is committed to making sure these changes in the law are fully understood and implemented by employers, so people living with HIV no longer fear being asked to disclose their status or are subjected to discrimination in the recruitment process. We have produced a new employment resource; HIV and recruitment, designed to lay out and explain the changes, so HR professionals and those involved in the recruitment process can ensure they understand them and are adhering to them in practice.’