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Amend Equalities Bill to protect volunteers, say charity chiefs
By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector, 16 June 2009
Lobbyists call on MPs citing 'widespread evidence of discrimination'
Charity chiefs have called for an amendment to the Equality Bill to protect volunteers from discrimination.
At a public bill committee debate in the House of Commons this month, Andrew Harrop, head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, said there was "widespread evidence of discrimination in volunteering".
He told Third Sector some charities turned volunteers away for being too old and there was no law on discriminating against volunteers. He said the Government's failure to consult the Office of the Third Sector meant volunteers were not given a high enough priority in the legislation.
Ruth Scott, director of policy and campaigns at Scope, said the charity would lobby MPs to table an amendment to the bill. "Volunteers have to rely on being treated fairly out of goodwill, and this doesn't always happen," she said.
Tim Boswell, Conservative MP for Daventry, said he would not rule out tabling an amendment on the issue.
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Frank Branney, 16 June 2009, 11:50
A recent case in the Court of Appeal (X v Mid Sussex CAB [2009] EWCA 340 Court of Appeal 10 March 2009) is a good example of the urgent need for this amendment. Volunteers should not have to rely on goodwill for such basic protection.I can supply a copy of the Court of Appeal judgment if anyone wishes to email me.
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Frank Branney, 16 June 2009, 11:51
Email address: frankbranney@onetel.com[Report this post]
Lewis Smith, 17 June 2009, 09:45
How naive of me to accept in my recent Third Sector article that volunteers could claim discrimination.This received wisdom was obviously mistaken. Mid-Sussex CAB seems to be spending much time (and, presumably, money) to prevent a volunteer claiming disability discrimination. Other organisations are attempting to amend the law to allow such claims.Whatever the outcome, a right which has been so successfully fought for over recent years surely cannot be regarded as one which volunteers are barred from claiming. But if they cannot, it strengthens the case for some external system of redress.
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