protected characteristic
noun[C]
lawUKspecializeduk/prəˌtek.tɪd kær.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/us/prəˌtek.tɪd ker.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/one of ninepersonalcharacteristicsorsituationsthat cannot be used as areasontodiscriminateagainst someone(=treatthemunfairly),accordingtodiscriminationlaw:
Theprotectedcharacteristicsareage,disability,genderreassignment,marriageandcivilpartnership,pregnancyandmaternity,race,religionandbelief,sex, andsexualorientation.
- Nineprotectedcharacteristicsare set out in the EqualityAct2010.
- Thisexceptiondoes notapplyto any otherprotectedcharacteristics.
- Publicauthoritiesarerequiredtoassessimpactsofpolicyonpeoplewithprotectedcharacteristics.