Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Employment lawEquality, diversity and inclusionEmployment tribunalsReligious discrimination

Discrimination not found as Christian counsellor sacked by Relate

by Personnel Today 17 Feb 2010
by Personnel Today 17 Feb 2010

Key points



  • McFarlane’s treatment was not because of his Christian beliefs but the manifestation of those beliefs. It was legitimate, for direct discrimination purposes, to distinguish between an act and the belief that gives rise to it.
  • Relate’s treatment of McFarlane was justified by the legitimate aim of providing services in a non-discriminatory way and requiring its employees to comply with that aim was proportionate and justified.

What you should do



  • Review your policies and consider whether any could be regarded as a provision, practice or criterion that could disadvantage particular groups and, as such, be indirectly discriminatory.

In a case heard before the Court of Appeal’s decision in Ladele was available, the EAT was asked to consider whether a Christian Relate counsellor had been discriminated against contrary to the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.

The EAT ruled that Gary McFarlane, who was dismissed for refusing to commit to provide psycho-sexual counselling to same-sex couples, was not discriminated against on grounds of his Christian belief.

No right to manifest belief

McFarlane’s refusal was based on his Christian beliefs that same-sex sexual activity was sinful and that he should not do anything to endorse it. The EAT held that there was no direct discrimination, as McFarlane had not been dismissed because he was a Christian but because he had manifested his beliefs in a way that was contrary to Relate’s principles. In particular, Relate had a well-established and demonstrable commitment to providing services without discrimination.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The EAT also found that there was no indirect discrimination. Relate was justified in requiring its employees to commit to following its policy of providing a full range of counselling services to all sections of the community in a non-discriminatory manner. Where an employee refuses to comply with his employer’s fundamental principles, the employer does not have to compromise on those principles to accommodate employee requests.

The EAT’s decision follows a recent trend by the courts and tribunals to find that individuals’ beliefs and religious convictions should not be permitted to override the legal protection afforded to those who may otherwise be subjected to discrimination.

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
EAT rules TUPE information to be provided even where it does not apply
next post
Absence for IVF treatment not the same as pregnancy until woman is pregnant

You may also like

Ministers loosen fire and rehire proposals in Employment...

10 Jul 2025

£188k tribunal award for director sacked after cardiac...

10 Jul 2025

It’s no secret – parity in the workplace...

10 Jul 2025

Court of Appeal rules that Ryanair agency pilot...

9 Jul 2025

ADHD and autism diagnosis was evidence of impact,...

9 Jul 2025

Bereavement leave to extend to miscarriages before 24...

7 Jul 2025

Company director wins £15k after being told to...

4 Jul 2025

How can HR prepare for changes to the...

3 Jul 2025

Government publishes ‘roadmap’ for Employment Rights Bill

2 Jul 2025

One in eight senior NHS managers from black...

1 Jul 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+