The General Act on Equal Treatment in Germany came into force on 18 August, 2006, after heavy political discussions. With the Act, the Federal Republic of Germany implemented several European directives regarding equal treatment and anti-racism at work. The purpose of the Act is to prevent or eliminate discrimination on the basis of race or on the grounds of ethnic origin, sex, religion or beliefs, disability, age or sexual identity. So far there is no consensus about the practical importance of the Act. According to one opinion it is very limited, comparable with previous provisions regarding sexual discrimination. The contrary view is that the Act will increase damages claims to a US level and will lead to more bureaucracy in human resources (HR) processes.
Rules for employers
