Coker and Osamor v Lord Chancellor and Lord Chancellor’s Department [2002] IRLR 80 CA

Discrimination: No indirect discrimination in appointing employee who was personally known to the employer

Date:

1 February 2002

In Coker and Osamor v The Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Court of Appeal holds that where an appointment is made from a close circle of family or friends, this will rarely constitute indirect discrimination as the vast majority of the relevant pool of potential candidates will be excluded. It will therefore not be possible to show that the requirement of personal knowledge has the disproportionate impact necessary to found a discrimination claim.