The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone living with HIV in the workplace.  The new Equality Act will replace the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 when it comes into force in October 2010.  We are working to educate employers about the rights and needs of people living with HIV and to ensure that you also understand your rights in the workplace.

HIV and recruitment

Recruitment is a crucial step into work and people living with HIV can still face discrimination during the recruitment process. We produced 'HIV and Recruitment', a guide for employers and job applicants living with HIV. This guide helps ensure that the recruitment process is free from discrimination and unfair treatment. For job applicants living with HIV the guide offers information and advice on topics such as legal rights and disclosing to employers. Read our HIV and Recruitment advice for people living with HIV here. If you're interested in learning about the information and resources we provide for small business and employers then you can find out more here.

The new Equality Act prohibits the use of pre-employment health questionnaires before the offer of a job has been made.  We will be updating our employment resources to reflect this change in advance of implementation of the new Act in October 2010.  Until that time the advice in ‘HIV and Recruitment’ remains current.

HIV and Employment Research

A clear picture is emerging about some of the barriers that people living with HIV can face getting a job. But NAT wanted to know more about the experiences of people living with HIV when they are at work. For this reason NAT commissioned an independent research team to look at people’s experience in the workplace. This research is now complete - you can find about this and read the summary report in our latest thinking

Ensuring Positive Futures Project

NAT was an active partner of Ensuring Positive Futures (EPF), an innovative employability programme for people living with HIV in the UK. The programme's partners work closely with trade unions, employers and the public sector to ensure that workplaces meet their responsibilities to people living with HIV and follow best employment practice. The programme was part funded through the European Social Fund (ESF) and ended on 31 July 2007.