Law against discrimination

(Lag mot diskriminering)

Discrimination refers to unequal treatment based on sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnic background, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

The Discrimination Act protects you on the job, at school, in shops, with government agencies, at hospitals and many other places. If you are discriminated against, you can notify the Equality Ombudsman (DO).

You might have been discriminated on the basis of your:

• Ethnic identity – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the person’s skin colour, origins or language.
• Religion or other beliefs – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the person’s religion or beliefs
• Disability – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the person’s physical, psychological or cognitive disabilities.
• Gender – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the gender the person belongs to.
• Transgender identity or expression – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the person not expressing an identity as a man or woman or expressing belonging to another gender through clothing or in another way.
• Sexual orientation – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the person being homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual.
• Age – being treated worse or differently on the grounds of the person’s age.

You can also notify the DO if you have been discriminated against in connection with parental leave or anything else.

Indirect discrimination may for example involve rules that appear neutral, but are actually unfair for a certain category of people, such as women.

Employers, schools and universities must actively work to prevent discrimination.