Equality, diversity and human rights >
Religion or belief discrimination
We look at three recent employment tribunal decisions concerning dress and jewellery codes that led to successful employment tribunal claims for religious discrimination and unfair constructive dismissal.
Two recent high-profile rulings have something important to say about direct religion or belief discrimination. However, both deal with a controversial topic - how an employer should deal with an employee who does not accept its approach to trans rights - so it is easy to miss that lying behind the controversy an important legal principle is being fought over, says consultant editor Darren Newman.
Leading practice guide discussing the key issues associated with religion and belief in the workplace and identifying the steps that employers can take to address these issues fairly while supporting the needs of the business.
In Reilly v RT Management Bridgeton Ltd, an employment tribunal held that a line manager's failure to address an employee's request to have a sanitary waste disposal bin placed in the staff toilet because she was "the only female of menstruating age who used the toilet" constituted sex discrimination.
In Forstater v CGD Europe and others, an employment tribunal held that a consultant researcher was discriminated against when a think tank ended its relationship with her because of her gender-critical belief, which she had expressed on Twitter.
In Page v NHS Trust Authority, the Court of Appeal held that the reason for disciplinary action and "termination" of office was because the director, a "devout" Christian, had expressed his views on homosexuality and same-sex adoption in the media, not because he held those views.
In Higgs v Farmor's School, an employment tribunal considered whether or not an employee's belief opposing gender fluidity constituted a philosophical belief within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010.
Consultant editor Darren Newman looks at the criteria applied by employment tribunals in recent cases to determine the sort of philosophical beliefs that should be protected by the Equality Act 2010.
In Casamitjana v The League Against Cruel Sports, an employment tribunal held that ethical veganism is capable of being a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010.
Ethical veganism, democratic socialism, humanism and a refusal to lie to customers are among the eclectic list of beliefs that have come before courts and tribunals as potential "philosophical beliefs" under equality legislation. We round up which non-religious beliefs have been found to be protected under the Equality Act 2010.
HR and legal information and guidance relating to religion or belief discrimination.