Standard documents

Model questions for interviewing the complaining employee, witnesses and the alleged harasser when investigating a sexual harassment complaint. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanatory and drafting tips. This Standard Document is based on federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For information on state law requirements, see the State Q&A Tool under Related Content to the right.

A standard letter of advice to an employer setting out the principles of age discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 and practical issues such as recruitment criteria and pay scales based on length of service. The basic principles of retirement are mentioned, although a much more detailed Standard document, Abolition of default retirement age: letter to employees on implications is also available.

Template clauses for an employer position statement to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) responding to an employee charge of discrimination, harassment or retaliation. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanatory notes and drafting tips.

An equal opportunites policy designed to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and the EHRC Employment Statutory Code of Practice, and to promote best practice. Note. This document has recently been reviewed and improved to take account, in particular, of the Equality Act 2010.

Model objections to interrogatories for an employer's counsel to use when responding to interrogatories in a single plaintiff employment discrimination case under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This Standard Document is appropriate for use in defense of private employers.This Standard Document applies to private workplaces. It is based on federal law. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanations and drafting tips.

A form for use by an employer in monitoring equal opportunites in the workplace.

An employee policy on religious accommodations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). It can be incorporated into an employee handbook or used as a stand-alone policy document. This Standard Document applies only to private workplaces. It is based on federal law. State or local law may impose additional or different requirements but this document will be useful and relevant to employers in every state. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanations and drafting tips.

Model objections to document requests, sometimes referred to as requests for production or RFPs, for an employer's counsel to use when responding to document requests in a single plaintiff employment discrimination case under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This Standard Document is appropriate for use in defense of private employers. It is based on federal law. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanations and drafting tips.

An employee policy prohibiting harassment, outlining the procedure for reporting complaints and prohibiting retaliation for harassment complaints. It can be incorporated into an employee handbook or used as a stand-alone policy document. This Standard Document applies only to private workplaces. It is based on federal law. State or local law may impose additional or different requirements but this document will be useful and relevant to employers in every state. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanations and drafting tips.

This standard document contains sample wording to be attached to an ET1 detailing a claimant's sexual orientation discrimination (and related unfair dismissal) claims.

A sample ET3 showing how, typically, a response to a claim for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal will be structured.  The respondent will need to choose which arguments are most appropriate to its case and provide further details, as indicated.  This ET3 assumes that the relevant events took place on or after 1 October 2010 (or else that there was a continuing act which spanned the previous discrimination legislation and the Equality Act 2010) and that the respondent is responding to a claim brought solely under the Equality Act 2010. 

This standard document contains sample wording to be attached to an ET1 detailing a claimant's religion or belief discrimination (and related unfair dismissal) claims.

A sample ET3 showing how, typically, a defence to a claim for sex harassment or sexual harassment and constructive dismissal will be structured. The respondent will need to adapt this to their circumstances and provide further details, as indicated. This ET3 assumes that the ET1 refers to events which took place on or after 1 October 2010 (or that there is a continuing act which spans the previous discrimination legislation and the Equality Act 2010) and that the claim is brought under the Equality Act 2010. 

A letter agreement setting out the non-contractual arrangements for work experience or an internship.

Model document requests, sometimes referred to as requests for production or RFPs, for an employer's counsel to use when serving document requests on the plaintiff in a single plaintiff employment discrimination case under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This Standard Document applies to private workplaces. It is based on federal law. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanations and drafting tips.

Sample wording to be attached to a claimant's ET1 claim form, showing how, typically, a claim for sex harassment or sexual harassment and constructive dismissal will be structured. The claimant will need to choose which arguments are most appropriate to their case and provide further details, as indicated.  This ET1 assumes that the events complained of took place on or after 1 October 2010 (or else that there was a continuing act which spanned the previous discrimination and the Equality Act 2010), and that the claim is being brought under the Equality Act 2010.

An employee policy on romantic or dating relationships in the workplace. It may also be referred to as a fraternization policy. It can be incorporated into an employee handbook or used as a stand-alone policy document. This Standard Document applies only to private workplaces. It is based on federal law. State or local law may impose additional or different requirements but this document will be useful and relevant to employers in every state. This Standard Document has integrated notes with important explanations and drafting tips

This standard letter is designed to be sent by an employer who has decided to agree (either partially or in full) to an employee's request to delay their retirement date. This letter should no longer be used. The statutory procedure setting out the employee's right to request working beyond a compulsory retirement date was abolished, subject to transitional provisions, on 6 April 2011 (see the drafting notes to this document and Practice note, Default retirement age: implications of its abolition). Under the transitional provisions, the last date for an employee to make a request to work beyond retirement age was 4 January 2012 and all such requests would have to have been dealt with by 5 April 2012 at the latest (see Practice note, Retirement before 6 April 2011: Effecting retirement: the duty to consider procedure).

This standard letter is designed to be sent by an employer to an employee outlining the procedure to be adopted after the employee has submitted a request to work beyond their retirement date. This letter should no longer be used. The statutory procedure setting out the employee's right to request working beyond a compulsory retirement date was abolished, subject to transitional provisions, on 6 April 2011 (see the drafting notes to this document and Practice note, Default retirement age: implications of its abolition). Under the transitional provisions, the last date for an employee to make such a request was 4 January 2012 (see Practice note, Retirement before 6 April 2011: Effecting retirement: the duty to consider procedure). 

This policy sets out the procedure to be adopted by an employer in dismissing an employee for retirement under Schedule 6 to the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (for more information, see Practice note, Retirement before 6 April 2011). NOTE: These provisions were repealed, subject to transitional provisions, on 6 April 2011 (see Practice note, Default retirement age: implications of its abolition). This policy should no longer be used. For a choice of two policies to reflect the law as it applies from 6 April 2011, see Standard documents, Retirement policy for employers with no fixed retirement age and Retirement policy for employers with a fixed retirement age.

A standard letter to an employee notifying them of their proposed retirement date and their right to request to continue working beyond that date. NOTE: The DRA was abolished, subject to transitional provisions, on 6 April 2011. The last date to give notice of intended retirement was 5 April 2011 (see Practice note, Default retirement age: implications of its abolition: When is the DRA being abolished?). This letter should no longer be used.