This enshrines in law the right of the individual not to be discriminated against on grounds of sex, age, race or religion.
Wrongful dismissal is an area of law that is still developing.
Some courts, for example, have interpreted possession of an employer's letter offering a job, or a company's personnel handbook, as an actual contract, making it much more difficult to dismiss the employee. Similarly, employees that have been sacked for refusing to carry out instructions that are dangerous or illegal have successfully sued their employers. It is also possible to sue an employer for making statements, while firing someone, that cause emotional distress.