Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favorably than others due to a protected characteristic like their race, religion, or sexual orientation. Discrimination by association involves discriminating against someone due to their relationship with someone who has a protected characteristic, while discrimination by perception is discriminating against someone due to a perceived protected characteristic whether they actually have it or not. Employers also have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees to reduce any disadvantages they face.

1. What's direct discrimination?
Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less
favourably than another person because of a protected
characteristic they have or are thought to have (see
discrimination by perception), or because they associate
with someone who has a protected characteristic (see
discrimination by association).

2. What's discrimination by association?
This is direct discrimination against someone because they
associate with another person who possesses a protected
characteristic.
For example, Ailsa becoming the subject of discriminatory
remarks and being hassled because she goes to lunch every
day with Maxi, who is a Rastafarian.

3. What's discrimination by perception?
This is direct discrimination against an individual because
someone else thinks they may have a protected
characteristic.
An example could include someone assuming Leila is gay
and discriminating against her because she wears an AIDS
ribbon. The individual being discriminated against does not
actually have to possess the characteristic which the
discriminator thinks they possess.

4. Making adjustments for a disabled employee
Where an individual has a disability, the employer has a duty
to make 'reasonable adjustments' to the workplace to reduce
the disadvantage that the employee could be facing.
For example, the employee could be allowed to work slightly
different hours than the rest of the workforce, avoiding rush
hour travel.