DirectGov, the Government portal, provides comprehensive guidance on discrimination:

• Introduction to Discrimination 
• Discrimination at Work
• Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay 
• Racial Discrimination
• Disability Discrimination
• Religion or Belief Discrimination

The links below deal mainly with the legal and practical aspects of discrimination. If you feel deeply distressed or depressed by the situation in which you find yourself you can ring Vet Helpline on 07659 811 118 (local call rates apply, 24hr rapid response answer phone). Friendly people with intimate knowledge of the veterinary profession are there to talk to you in complete confidence.

• BVA Legal Advice Line
  
  BVA provides a free legal advice line for its members. The advice line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is manned by a team of legal advisors, mainly lawyers, who have a range of expertise covering all aspects of the law. 
  
  Members are able to fax documents or agreements where they require advice, but advisers will not write on a member’s behalf.  All calls are treated as confidential and are recorded for future reference.
  
  The resource is for BVA members only – the phone number is available from the members section of the BVA website. A valid membership number is required in order to access the BVA legal advice line.
  
  
• BVA Guide to Contracts of Employment for Veterinary Surgeons in Private Practice. Available free of charge to BVA members at http://www.bva.co.uk/members/resource/publications.asp#guides
  
  
• BVNA Legal Helpline
  
  All BVNA members have access to a free legal helpline, manned by legal professionals who will answer questions in relation to any subject, not just employment. If you are a BVNA member and you need to ring the legal help line, telephone the BVNA office on 01279 408644 or email bvna@bvna.org.uk, and they will put you in touch with the right person. You will need to have your BVNA membership number ready when using the legal helpline.
  
  
• BVNA Employment Law Factsheet Pack
  
  The pack includes factsheets on the Data Protection Act, equal opportunities, disciplinary procedures and how to hold informal and formal grievance meetings, categories of “worker” and “employee”, working time regulations, discrimination and part-time workers.  
  
  
• Equal Opportunities Commission at http://www.eoc.org.uk/, in particular their Code of Practice for small businesses at http://www.eoc.org.uk/PDF/eo_is_your_business_too_gb.pdf
  
  
• Commission for Racial Equality at http://www.cre.gov.uk/, in particular their Code of Good Practice for equal opportunities policies at http://www.cre.gov.uk/gdpract/equalopps.html
  
  
• The Disability Rights Commission at http://www.drc-gb.org/, in particular their Code of Practice for
  Employment and Occupation at http://www.drc-gb.org/documents/employment_occupation.pdf.
  
  The Department for Work and Pensions “Age Positive” web site at http://www.agepositive.gov.uk/codeOfPractice.cfm?sectionid=90: a range of Good Practice Standards are available from that page.