Equality Tribunal

Information

The Equality Tribunal is the independent state body set up to investigate or mediate complaints of discrimination. The Equality Tribunal deals with all complaints of discrimination in employment and access to goods and services which come under the following equality legislation:

• The Employment Equality Acts 1998 - 2011 outlaw discrimination at work including recruitment and promotion; equal pay; working conditions; training or experience; dismissal and harassment including sexual harassment.
• The Equal Status Acts 2000 - 2011 outlaw discrimination outside the workplace, in particular in the provision of goods and services, selling renting or leasing property and certain aspects of education.

Discrimination occurs when you are treated less favourably than another person is, has been or would be treated because of your:

• Gender
• Civil status
• Family status
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Disability
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins) or
• Membership of the Traveller community.

Victimisation is also covered by equality legislation. Victimisation occurs when a person is treated less favourably than another because they opposed discrimination or were involved in a complaint of unlawful discrimination.

The Equality Tribunal also deals with complaints of discrimination on the grounds of gender under the Pensions Act 1990 - 2009 in relation to occupational benefit or pensions schemes. It cannot deal with complaints about licensed premises (for example, pubs) and registered clubs (for example, some golf clubs are registered clubs). To pursue a complaint about a licensed premises or registered club you must take your case to the District Court.

What is the difference between the Equality Tribunal and the Equality Authority ?

The Equality Tribunal and the Equality Authority are 2 completely separate organisations.

The Equality Authority is a statutory body set up to work towards the elimination of unlawful discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity and to provide information to the public on the equality legislation. It can advise and support you to bring claim to the Tribunal but it has no power to decide a case.

The Equality Tribunal is the place to bring your claim. It investigates or mediates claims of unlawful discrimination under the equality legislation. A Tribunal mediator will facilitate parties to reach a mediated agreement which is legally binding. Where parties object to mediation, a case will be heard by a Tribunal Equality Officer, who will hear evidence from both parties before issuing a legally binding Decision.

Streamlining of employment rights enforcement

Since 4 January 2012 there is a single point of contact and a new single complaint form available on the shared website, workplacerelations.ie.

On 5 April 2012 the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation published a Blueprint document detailing the following new workplace relations structures to be set up by the end of 2012. A Workplace Relations Commission will bring together the existing services of the Labour Relations Commission, Rights Commissioner Service, Equality Tribunal, the National Employment Rights Authority and the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal. The Labour Court will be the single appeal body for all workplace relations appeals, including those currently heard by the Employment Appeals Tribunal. A Workplace Relations Bill is being drafted to give effect to these changes in autumn 2012.