The Equal Opportunity Commission features a guest column by one of our commissioners, Dr Krystal-Jane Verasammy, who is also a counselling psychologist.

Persons living with HIV and Aids (PLWHA) who face discrimination in certain settings because they are infected with HIV or Aids can lodge a complaint and get relief at the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC).

Young people on the autism spectrum may experience barriers to receiving a quality education. These barriers may include discrimination and prejudice, bullying, limited teacher training and teacher preparation, limited human and material resources and limited administrative support.

The Equal Opportunity Act covers four broad categories: provision of goods and services, provision of accommodation, employment and education. It is important to understand the categories contained in the act so that members of the public can access the full range of coverage.

Data at the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) shows that since its inception, the most complaints that are lodged at our offices are by women in the category of employment.

In our last article, we addressed the topic of reasonable accommodation and looked at key concepts within its definition.

The Equal Opportunity Act is often described as a progressive piece of legislation

One of the core functions of the EOC is to receive and investigate complaints of discrimination and offer the process of conciliation to the disputing parties.

The act covers seven status grounds under which a person can be treated less favorably: sex, race, ethnicity, origin, including geographic origin, religion, marital status and disability.

THE CHRISTMAS season is upon us and it is as good a time as any to talk about your rights when you are attempting to access goods, facilities and services.