Racial discrimination law next year
Tuesday 23rd September 2008, 2:59PM BST.
IT will be an offence to discriminate against someone on grounds of race when a new law comes into force next year.
And at a yet to be specified later date it will also be illegal to discriminate against a person because of their sex, any disability and their age. The States approved funding for the Discrimination (Jersey) Law on Friday, but it was a close run thing, with Members voting by 26 to 19 to back the proposal.
It was agreed that Home Affairs budgets be increased in 2010 by £256,000, by £263,000 in 2011, by £269,000 in 2012 and in 2013 by £276,000 to implement the legislation. The funding proposition came as an amendment to the States Business Plan proposed by the Council of Ministers.
The plan sets out spending budgets for States departments next year. Under the terms of the law, advertising for a handyman or a waitress could become illegal. The days of some men-only clubs are also numbered, as are advertisements asking for workers of a certain ethnicity.
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30 years overdue.
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I would dearly love to know who voted against this essential piece of legislation, and what was their reasoning (if that’s the right word to apply to a States member). Instead of wasting money on trying to improve Jersey’s image with marketing campaigns, why not enact the laws that would drag this Island screaming and kicking into the late 20th century, such as the anti-discrimination laws that we might (or might not?) get soon. Every other civlised jurisdiction has had them for decades. Of course you could just carry on as you are and act hurt and puzzled when people call Jersey a barbaric backwater. There’s always ‘the boat out in the morning’ nonsense to fall back on. All you have to do is sit back and watch as all the young and talented people that could have been the future of the Island take that boat and go and live happier, easier lives elsewhere in more enlightened countries where they are protected from discrimination, bigotry and institutionalised ignorance. Or does it make life easier for middle-management if these laws aren’t enacted? Given the choice of protecting the population or annoying the Finance Industry, well …..
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UK legislation: Race Relations Act 1965 and 1976; Equal Pay Act 1970; Sexual Discrimination Act 1975; Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Jersey legislation? (sound of wind sighing down empty corridors)
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Better late than never, the States are a bad joke. They make the UK Government look positively insightful.
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I believe I am correct in saying that this “new” law does not cover sexual orientation and therefore, cannot meet all of the anti-discrimination requirements! If that is the case, why go through all of the work to put a semi-anti-discriminatory law in place? Surely all of the work needed to find out what this law should cover has been done in both Britain and the E.U? Why not just implement the same laws and why on earth is it taking so long???
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it’s totally unbelivable as to how long it has taken for this new legislation to be bought in!!
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I believe that racial discrimination, discrimination any is abhorrent and that overarching legislation is a necessary but belated fallback. Nevertheless, to resort to the law is sign of failure.
Having lived and worked in a multi racial and multi religious environments, without fear or favour, I believe that prejudice and discrimination is deep rooted in our economic wellbeing. We live on an island where the indigenous Norman population has been swamped by waves of immigration (economic migrants) from the UK and other parts of the EU. The problem is that having arrived they become focused on preserving ‘their job’.
I am agnostic but quote the Bible “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” and practice what I advocate. Whatever the law may say, it is up to us as individuals to act.
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So where does ‘Quallies’ stand in the whole discrimination debate, discrimination on the basis of nationality?
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Living mostly in the UK, I can categorically state that discrimination is alive and well there, probably even worse than ever.
Discrimination has NOT been stopped in any way, it has just been changed to protect the minority and stuff the majority! In the UK these days you do NOT want to be a white, heterosexual, Christian, married, childless woman… if you find yourself in this situation you would do well to make a point of joining a minoroty, and fast!
I was offered EVERY single job I applied for until I was a married woman of 30. Now I don’t even get offered an interview. So now I am discriminated against because women that want kids aren’t being. Fair? Hardly!
My sister has to work unpaid overtime because her colleagues with kids cannot be expected to apparently, nor can she choose her holidays till staff with kids choose theirs.
Jersey would do well to avoid bringing in lots of specific laws and just bring in a system that ensure everyone is treated equally in all situations.
In the workplace the only thing that should matter is your work-rate, ability and attendance. If you have taken time off to have children you should have to catch up your hours before getting the same promotions/pay rises. That’s a fair system.
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‘In the workplace the only thing that should matter is your work-rate, ability and attendance. If you have taken time off to have children you should have to catch up your hours before getting the same promotions/pay rises. That’s a fair system.’
Not sure if many mothers will agree with you on that…
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Jersey people have NO rights in Europe.
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