Most employers these days recognise the importance of promoting
diversity and inclusion in their workforce. Giving people the same
opportunities to progress, teaching them to embrace difference and
making it clear that discrimination and harassment of others will
not be tolerated are all ways of contributing to a positive work
environment.
What happens though when conflicting beliefs come into play?
Some individuals may hold beliefs that are offensive to others
leaving the employer liable for any resulting harassment and
discrimination claims.
Religious and philosophical beliefs
The Equality Act 2010 provides that individuals are protected
from discrimination on the grounds of their religious or
philosophical beliefs. For a belief to qualify for protection it
has to fulfil the criteria set out in Grainger plc and others v
Nicholson. It has to be genuinely held; be a belief and not an
opinion or viewpoint; be a belief as to a weighty and substantial
aspect of
