Jersey sex discrimination laws 'closer'

Plans to introduce laws against gender discrimination have moved a step closer in Jersey.

Social Security Minister, Senator Francis Le Gresley, said he believed such laws were possible "without placing an unfair burden on employers and businesses in Jersey".

A consultation phase seeks views on such issues as pay equality and maternity.

The first discrimination law, covering race, comes in to force on 1 September.

Senator Le Gresley said the first part of the law was an enabling law which would then make it easier to introduce other elements of anti-discrimination legislation.

He said: "It is becoming increasing unacceptable that Jersey does not have these protections in place.

"I am proposing that, when we introduce protection against discrimination on grounds of sex, we should also introduce protection on grounds of pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender reassignment."

He said there would be "appropriate exemptions", for example in permitting single-sex schools.

Senator Le Gresley said he would take into account responses to the consultation before asking for a law to be drafted, and hoped this would come about before the summer break.