Employment Equality Act, 1977

Discrimination by employment agencies prohibited.

7.—(1) An employment agency shall not discriminate—

(a) in the terms on which it offers to provide any of its services,

(b) by refusing or omitting to provide any of its services,

(c) in the manner in which it provides any of its services.

(2) References in subsection (1) to a service of an employment agency include guidance on careers and any service related to employment.

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply where the service concerns only employment which an employer could lawfully refuse to offer to the person concerned.

(4) An employment agency shall not be under any liability under this section if it proves—

(a) that it acted in reliance on a statement made to it by the employer concerned to the effect that, by reason of the operation of subsection (3), its action would not be unlawful, and

(b) that it was reasonable for it to rely on the statement.

(5) An employer who, with a view to obtaining the services of an employment agency, knowingly makes a statement such as is referred to in subsection (4) (a) and which in a material respect is false or misleading shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £200.