The Equality (Disability, etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 2000

Non-discrimination notices N.I.

6.—(1) If in the course of a formal investigation the Commission is satisfied that a person has committed or is committing an unlawful act, it may serve on him a notice (referred to in this Part as a non-discrimination notice) which—

(a) gives details of the unlawful act which the Commission has found that he has committed or is committing; and

(b) requires him not to commit any further unlawful acts of the same kind (and, if the finding is that he is committing an unlawful act, to cease doing so).

(2) The notice may include recommendations to the person concerned as to action which the Commission considers he could reasonably be expected to take with a view to complying with the requirement mentioned in paragraph (1)(b).

(3) The notice may require the person concerned—

(a) to propose an adequate action plan (subject to and in accordance with Part III of Schedule 1) with a view to securing compliance with the requirement mentioned in paragraph (1)(b); and

(b) once an action plan proposed by him has become final, to take any action which—

(i) is specified in the plan; and

(ii) he has not already taken,

at the time or times specified in the plan.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)—

(a) an action plan is a document drawn up by the person concerned specifying action (including action he has already taken) intended to change anything in his practices, policies, procedures or other arrangements which—

(i) caused or contributed to the commission of the unlawful act concerned; or

(ii) is liable to cause or contribute to a failure to comply with the requirement mentioned in paragraph (1)(b); and

(b) an action plan is adequate if the action specified in it would be sufficient to ensure, within a reasonable time, that he is not prevented from complying with that requirement by anything in his practices, policies, procedures or other arrangements;

and the action specified in an action plan may include ceasing an activity or taking continuing action over a period.

(5) In this Article “unlawful act” means an act which is unlawfulF1 . . . for the purposes of any provision of Part II or Part III of the 1995 Act[F2 or Part III of the 2005 Order] or any other unlawful act of a description prescribed for the purposes of this Article.

(6) Schedule 1 (so far as relating to non-discrimination notices and action plans) has effect.

F1 SR 2004/55

F2 2005 NI 6