Yes. Since December 2003 it has been illegal under one set of regulations to discriminate against anyone because of his (or her) sexual orientation. It is also illegal under another set of regulations (again as from December 2003) to discriminate against anyone because of his (or her) religion, religious beliefs or philosophical beliefs. An amendment to these regulations means that it might be possible to extend their remit to political beliefs. This has yet to be tested in court, but if in the meantime you become aware that employees are stirring up trouble on political grounds, it would be wise to take legal advice before you do anything.
Legislation came into force on 1 October 2006, outlawing discrimination on grounds of age. Amongst other changes, this means that it is illegal to force anyone (male or female) to retire earlier than age 65, unless you can show that compulsory retirement at an earlier age is appropriate and necessary for employees doing this job. Employees who want to carry on beyond 65 may ask to do so, and you must give the request serious consideration, although they will not be able to sue for unfair dismissal if you decline the request. A case is going through the European Court of Justice, testing whether reaching the default retirement age is a valid ground for dismissal, but it is unlikely to be resolved before 2009.
