Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Codes of practice

32.—(1) The Commission may issue codes of practice containing such practical guidance as the Commission thinks fit for all or any of the following purposes, namely –

(a) the elimination of discrimination or harassment which is unlawful by virtue of these Regulations;

(b) the promotion of equality of opportunity in any field to which these Regulations apply between persons of differing sexual orientations.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), a code of practice issued under this regulation may include such practical guidance as the Commission thinks fit as to what steps it is reasonably practicable for employers to take for the purpose of preventing their employees from doing in the course of their employment acts made unlawful by these Regulations.

(3) When the Commission proposes to issue a code of practice, it shall prepare and publish a draft of that code, shall consider any representations made to it about the draft and may modify the draft accordingly.

(4) In the course of preparing any draft code of practice for eventual publication under paragraph (3), the Commission shall consult with –

(a) such organisations or associations of organisations representative of employers or of workers; and

(b) such other organisations or bodies,

as appear to the Commission to be appropriate.

(5) The Commission may from time to time revise the whole or any part of a code of practice issued under this regulation and issue that revised code, and paragraphs (3) and (4) shall apply (with appropriate modifications) to such a revised code as they apply to the first issue of a code.