Discrimination in employment
15.12.2021
Discrimination in employment
On what kind of beliefs can an employee claim discrimination?
Most people are aware that it is unlawful to discriminate on grounds of gender, race or nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation or disability.
An employment tribunal within the last week re-affirmed a fundamental principle of the Equality Act 2010, namely that the concept of ‘belief’ is not confined to just the Abrahamic religions, or any other religions, as some would have us believe!
‘Belief’ includes any philosophical belief, provided it is held genuinely and seriously, and includes, as in this case decided on 3rd January 2020, veganism. The claimant here was a vegan who believed that this was the reason that he had been victimised in the course of his employment. The employee had ethical objections to the way in which his employer behaved.
Of course, vegetarianism is included as well, as is, for instance, atheism and agnosticism and paganism. No belief has any privilege over any other – which I would say is exactly what you would expect in the law in a modern civilised secular society.
Kuldeep Clair
Senior Employment Solicitor
If you need expert advice on an employment issue, contact our consultant employment solicitor:
Kuldeep Clair – 07484 614090 or kuldeep@sterlinglawyers.co.uk
Discrimination in employment –
A new case – 3 Jan 2020
On what kind of beliefs can an employee claim discrimination?
Most people are aware that it is unlawful to discriminate on grounds of gender, race or nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation or disability.
An employment tribunal within the last week re-affirmed a fundamental principle of the Equality Act 2010, namely that the concept of ‘belief’ is not confined to just the Abrahamic religions, or any other religions, as some would have us believe!
‘Belief’ includes any philosophical belief, provided it is held genuinely and seriously, and includes, as in this case decided on 3rd January 2020, veganism. The claimant here was a vegan who believed that this was the reason that he had been victimised in the course of his employment. The employee had ethical objections to the way in which his employer behaved.
Of course, vegetarianism is included as well, as is, for instance, atheism and agnosticism and paganism. No belief has any privilege over any other – which I would say is exactly what you would expect in the law in a modern civilised secular society.
Kuldeep Clair
Senior Employment Solicitor
If you need expert advice on an employment issue, contact our consultant employment solicitor:
Kuldeep Clair – 07484 614090 or kuldeep@sterlinglawyers.co.uk
