New tighter laws on workplace discrimination come into force this week.

As of Monday December 1 it will be illegal to discriminate against workers on grounds of sexual orientation and on Tuesday, December 2, the same rules will be applied to religion.

The move brings these types of discrimination into line with existing practice on sex and race bias.

The new laws aim to give workers rights against bullying or exclusion from employee benefits, training and promotion opportunities on grounds of religion or sexuality.

Figures released on Monday by specialist journal Equal Opportunities Review showed that UK firms were forced to pay out £6.4m in relation to discrimination claims in 2002, up by two-thirds year on year.