Disability Discrimination Act 1995

[F1 17A Enforcement, remedies and procedure. U.K.

[F2 (1) A complaint by any person that another person—

(a) has discriminated against him [F3 , or subjected him to harassment,] in a way which is unlawful under this Part, or

(b) is, by virtue of section 57 or 58, to be treated as having [F4 done so],

may be presented to an industrial tribunal.

[F5 (1A) Subsection (1) does not apply to a complaint under section 14A(1) or (2) about an act in respect of which an appeal, or proceedings in the nature of an appeal, may be brought under any enactment.

(1B) Where, on the hearing of a complaint under subsection (1), the complainant proves facts from which the tribunal could, apart from this subsection, conclude in the absence of an adequate explanation that the respondent has acted in a way which is unlawful under this Part, the tribunal shall uphold the complaint unless the respondent proves that he did not so act.]

(2) Where an industrial tribunal finds that a complaint presented to it under this section is well-founded, it shall take such of the following steps as it considers just and equitable—

(a) making a declaration as to the rights of the complainant and the respondent in relation to the matters to which the complaint relates;

(b) ordering the respondent to pay compensation to the complainant;

(c) recommending that the respondent take, within a specified period, action appearing to the tribunal to be reasonable, in all the circumstances of the case, for the purpose of obviating or reducing the adverse effect on the complainant of any matter to which the complaint relates.

[F6 (3) Where a tribunal orders compensation under subsection (2)(b), the amount of the compensation shall be calculated by applying the principles applicable to the calculation of damages in claims in tort for breach of statutory duty.]

(4) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that compensation in respect of discrimination in a way which is unlawful under this Part may include compensation for injury to feelings whether or not it includes compensation under any other head.

(5) If the respondent to a complaint fails, without reasonable justification, to comply with a recommendation made by an industrial tribunal under subsection (2)(c) the tribunal may, if it thinks it just and equitable to do so—

(a) increase the amount of compensation required to be paid to the complainant in respect of the complaint, where an order was made under subsection (2)(b); or

(b) make an order under subsection (2)(b).

(6) Regulations may make provision—

(a) for enabling a tribunal, where an amount of compensation falls to be awarded under subsection (2)(b), to include in the award interest on that amount; and

(b) specifying, for cases where a tribunal decides that an award is to include an amount in respect of interest, the manner in which and the periods and rate by reference to which the interest is to be determined.

[F7 (7) Regulations may modify the operation of any order made under Article 16 of the Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 F8 (power to make provision as to interest on sums payable in pursuance of industrial tribunal decisions) to the extent that it relates to an award of compensation under subsection (2)(b).]

(8) Part I of Schedule 3 makes further provision about the enforcement of this Part and about procedure.]]

Extent Information

E1 E Note: Following the repeal of this Act for E.W.S. by the Equality Act 2010, this section now extends to N.I. only. Prior to that repeal, different versions of this section had been created for N.I. and E.W.S. respectively to reflect the different amendment history for each jurisdiction. This version is based on the N.I. version as it stood at the date of the repeal. It does not reflect the history of E.W.S. effects prior to the 2010 repeal, which can be found in earlier versions.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 8 moved and renumbered (as s. 17A) (N.I.) (21.2.2004 for certain purposes and 1.10.2004 otherwise) by S.R. 2004/55, regs. 1(2)(3), 9(1)

F2 Act repealed (E.W.S.) (1.10.2010 (except for the repeal of ss. 49A-49D) and 5.4.2011 in so far as not already in force) by Equality Act 2010 (c. 15), 216(3), Sch. 27 Pt. 1 (as substituted (1.10.2010) by S.I. 2010/2279, Sch. 2) (with ss. 6(4), 205, and with amendments and savings in the said S.I. 2010/2279, art. 16); S.I. 2010/2317, art. 2(15)(f) (with arts. 4-25, Schs. 1-16); S.I. 2011/1066, art. 2(h)

F3 Words in s. 17A(1)(a) inserted (N.I.) (21.2.2004 for certain purposes and 1.10.2004 otherwise) by the Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004/55), regs. 1(2)(3), 9(2)(a)

F4 Words in s. 17A(1)(b) substituted (N.I.) (21.2.2004 for specified purposes and 1.10.2004 otherwise) by the Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004/55), regs. 1(2)(3), 9(2)(b)

F5 S. 17A(1A)(1B) inserted (N.I.) (21.2.2004 for certain purposes and 1.10.2004 otherwise) by the Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004/55), regs. 1(2)(3), 9(2)(c)

F6 S. 17A(3) substituted (N.I.) (21.2.2004 for certain purposes and 1.10.2004 otherwise) by the Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004/55), regs. 1(2)(3), 9(2)(d)

F7 S. 17A(7) substituted (N.I.) (21.2.2004 for certain purposes and 1.10.2004 otherwise) by the Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004/55), regs. 1(2)(3), 9(2)(e)

F8 S.I. 1996/1921 (N.I. 18)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 8 (now s. 17A) wholly in force at 2.12.1996; s. 8 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 70(3); s. 8(6)(7) in force at 6.6.1996 by S.I. 1996/1474, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. I; s. 8(1)-(5)(8) in force at 2.12.1996 by S.I. 1996/1474, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. III