Big jump in work discrimination claims

There has been a 40 per cent rise in the number of claims for discrimination at work in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year, according to the director of the Office of Equality Investigations.

Ms Melanie Pine, speaking at the launch of her office's first annual report in Dublin yesterday, said the year's case load so far reflected the impact of the Employment Equality Act 1998.

The biggest proportion of claims (44.1 per cent) were in relation to pay. Some 22 per cent of claims were related to promotion, 13.6 per cent to appointment, 10.2 per cent to sexual harassment. Victimisation, working conditions and pregnancy were the grounds for the remaining claims.

The office, established in October, can investigate claims of discrimination in the workplace in relation to pay, promotion, recruitment, conditions of employment or training, harassment and access to vocational education and membership of professional bodies.

"I am very glad to be able to say that more than 50 per cent of the new claims cite the new grounds of discrimination," said Ms Pine. Her office puts the increase in the number claims down to an increased awareness of equality rights.

More than half of the new claims included allegations of discrimination on the grounds of family status, age, disability, race or religion. Some 20 per cent cited discrimination because of age alone and 10 per cent solely on the grounds of disability.