Over the course of the last half-century, the United Kingdom has seen the far reaching development of equal opportunities law.

It is no longer acceptable for employers to base employment-related decisions on any of the following grounds: age; disability; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation; gender reassignment; marital or civil partnership status; maternity or pregnancy.

Anti-discrimination legislation provides protection to employees and prospective employees who are treated less favourably on any of the grounds specified above, and the employer is unable to show that the treatment in question is justifiable.