Civil Partnerships
On 5 December 2005 a new law comes into force "The Civil Partnership Act 1984" enabling gay couples to form a civil partnership by registering as civil partners. Any couple that registers will then have the same rights and responsibilities as a married couple in areas such as tax, inheritance, employment and pension benefits.
The new legislation will introduce the following changes to employment laws.
- The prohibition of discrimination against married persons is extended to civil partners
- Civil partners also included in those entitled to family friendly employment rights
- Reference to step children for parental leave now includes step children of a person’s civil partner
- Employment Equality Regulations amended to ensure status of a civil partner is comparable to that of a spouse
