The public sector Equality Duty came into force as planned on 5 April 2011, followed by positive action measures on 6 April.
The aim of the public sector Equality Duty is for public bodies to consider the needs of all individuals in their day to day work, in developing policy, in delivering services, and in relation to their own employees.
Provisions in the Equality Act 2010 related to positive action in recruitment and promotion commenced on 6 April. These voluntary provisions cover the use of positive action in matters of recruitment and employment and can be used by an employer to address under-representation or other forms of disadvantage within the workforce.
Click here for information about the Equality Act 2010 on the Government Equalities Office website