The Spectator’s Notes

Wednesday, 4th April 2007

Someone showed me a single clause in a contract relating to his employment the other day. It refers to section 77 (4A) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equal Pay Act of 1970, section 72(4A) of the Race Relations Act 1976, section 288(2B) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, para. 2 of schedule 3A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, regulation 35(3) of the Working Time Regulations 1998, section 49(A) of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, regulation 41(4) of the Transnational Information and Consultation Regulations 1999, regulation 9 of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000, regulation 10 of the Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, para. 2(2) of schedule 4 of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, para. 2(2) of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, regulation 40(4) of the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004, para. 12 of the Occupational and Personal Pensions Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006 and para. 2(2) of schedule 5 of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.

About every seven years, I buy an identical pair of jeans. Last week, I shopped for the latest pair and found that the 34in waist I had worn before was now too big for me. Independent evidence (a tape measure) shows that I have not got thinner. So I conclude that the manufacturers now lie in their labelling. I don’t suppose there will be many complaints to Trading Standards officers.