see also ‘Marital Status’ - Civil status in an employment law context arises as one of the nine grounds of discrimination in Ireland, as outlined in the Employment Equality Acts, 1998-2008. Discrimination can occur under this ground where differential treatment occurs on the basis that an employee, or potential employee, is of a different civil status. For the purposes of the Employment Equality Act, 1998, civil status includes “being single, married, separated, divorced, widowed, in a civil partnership within the meaning of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 or being a former civil partner in a civil partnership that has ended by death or been dissolved.” Employers should be aware that this ground of discrimination was formerly known as ‘Marital Status’ but its scope has been extended to reflect progression in the area of Civil Partnerships in Ireland.
