The European Union (EU) is committed to promoting employment and social inclusion. To ensure this goal, the EU has enacted laws to ensure that employers are treating all of their employees fairly, regardless of gender, race, or other characteristics.
The Equal Treatment Directive
This directive requires that employers provide equal opportunity employment in their practices, set certain standards for how they decide pay scales and benefits packages, as well as protect individuals from discrimination based on age, sex, religion or belief, disability, and sexual orientation.
Rights during Part-Time Work and Fixed-Term Contracts
This regulation guarantees people who work less than 38 hours a week – part-time employees – have equal access to jobs as those who work full time. It also sets out rules for a fixed-term contract in regard to rights at work such as dismissal procedures or conditions of pay that must be met when renewing contracts.
Discrimination on Grounds of Religion
This directive seeks to eliminate religious discrimination by prohibiting any form of direct or indirect discrimination on grounds of religion or belief as defined under Article 9 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It also covers harassment based on religion in the workplace.
Accessibility Requirements and Reasonable Accommodation
This regulation aims to remove any barriers which people with disabilities may face in accessing public services or buildings. Provisioning reasonable accommodations where needed such as job restructuring so long as it won’t be too expensive for employers or place unreasonable demands on them regarding availability or technical difficulties along with changes in normal working conditions.
Mobility Rights
The Free Movement Directive strengthens individual rights for workers wanting to move abroad for work purposes and looking for permanent residence outside their own country that is EU member state.
