The Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order repeals and re-enacts the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976 and the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 with amendments.

The principal amendments—

(a) make it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of goods, facilities and services on the ground of religious belief or political opinion;

(b) make it lawful for a person to—

(i) recruit specifically from the unemployed; and

(ii) offer religion specific training to persons not already in his employment;

(c) provide a right of appeal against national security certificates;

(d) make provision in relation to the arbitration and settlement of complaints.

The Order also makes certain corresponding amendments to the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 and the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.