Gender Discrimination in the European Union

Equal treatment for men and women is an important objective of labour policy in the European Union, mainly because there is ample evidence of gender discrimination in the Member States. Topics of particular focus in this book include equal pay for work of equal value, together with sexual harassment in the workplace and examination of the main exceptions from the discrimination rules. Each year cases related to claims of sexual harassment are increasing. With the recent passage of the amended Equal Treatment Directive the European Union policymakers have taken a courageous step toward outlawing sexual harassment as a form of genderbased discrimination throughout the EU. Derogations from the ban on discrimination are examined in this book together with cases concerning affirmative action and acts of sex discrimination done for reasons related to the protection of public safety. The main changes in law and regulations concerning gender discrimination at work in the European Union since the founding treaties is explored further to see if cases on this matter have effected new legislations made in this field.