July 11, 2020
The proposed anti-discrimination legislation is not employment legislation: it is legislation designed to prevent and remedy discrimination in the fields of access to goods and services, education and employment.
Further impact assessment is not needed and would be a waste of tax payer’s money.
- Business groups have signalled support for the current proposals.
- Guernsey is committed to introducing discrimination legislation and the current proposals have been substantially amended to reflect public consultation.
- The impact on public sector finances is largely in the States’ control (Accessibility Plans, etc). Additional assessment is not needed.
- The legislation will not place a disproportionate burden on any single business or organisation: no further assessment is needed.
- Comprehensive impact assessment would require consideration of the wider social and economic benefits, not just cost to business. Such assessments are likely to be costly (> £100,000), time consuming, and not value for taxpayer’s money.
- Impact assessments in the UK and elsewhere show enduring social and economic benefit from such legislation.
- Estimates of the costs of reasonable adjustments have been wildly exaggerated.
- The proposals are not “gold plated” and do not go further than required to meet international standards.
Please refer to the attached briefing note for further explanation.