Supreme Court to rule on status of Sikh ‘saint’ – The Independent

‘Britain’s finest legal minds have been asked to make sense of some of life’s thorniest problems, but few compare to that posed by the followers of Sant Baba Jeet Singh Ji Maharaj – specifically whether he is a Sikh saint, the Third Holy Saint in fact.’

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The Independent, 8th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Christian nursery worker claims unfair dismissal over dispute with gay colleague – The Guardian

‘A Christian nursery nurse is claiming unfair dismissal after losing her job because she said she told a gay colleague the Bible regards the practice of homosexuality as a sin.’

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The Guardian, 20th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘You can’t wear that here’ – OUP Blog

‘When a religious believer wears a religious symbol to work can their employer object? The question brings corporate dress codes and expressions of religious belief into sharp conflict. The employee can marshal discrimination and human rights law on the one side, whereas the employer may argue that conspicuous religion makes for bad business.’

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OUP Blog, 26th March 2014

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Christians deserve more respect, says top judge – The Independent

Posted March 21st, 2014 in Christianity, human rights, news, religious discrimination by sally

‘One of Britain’s top judges has said it is not difficult to see why British Christians “feel their religious beliefs are not being sufficiently respected” in a speech about the clash between the rights of believers and sexual equality.’

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The Independent, 21st March 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mormon Tax, Posthumous Procreation and Stephen Lawrence Spying – the Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In the human rights news this week, Theresa May calls for a public inquiry into undercover police officers after the publication of the independent review into spying on the family of Stephen Lawrence. Elsewhere, Mormons take on the taxman, the High Court considers how to interpret the law on storing embryos and gametes after death and a House of Lords Committee publishes a major report into the operation of the Mental Capacity Act.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th March 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Strasbourg on Mormons and their temples – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 7th, 2014 in human rights, news, rates, religious discrimination, taxation by tracey

‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. the United Kingdom, ECHR, 4 March 2014. An apparently dry dispute about business rates on one of the Mormons’ temples in Preston  has reached Strasbourg and raises interesting issues about indirect discrimination on religious grounds. The underlying question was whether the temple was a place of “public religious worship” and therefore exempt from rates.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 5th March 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Couple get married in Britain’s first Scientology wedding – The Independent

Posted February 24th, 2014 in charities, equality, marriage, news, registrars, religious discrimination by sally

‘Scientologists Louisa Hodkin and Alessandro Calcioli won a landmark legal battle to have the Church of Scientology recognised as a “place of meeting for religious worship”.’

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The Independent, 23rd February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Comic behind West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka’s ‘quenelle’ gesture banned from UK – Daily Telegraph

‘The comedian who is said to have invented the quenelle gesture, which is seen by many as anti-semitic, has been banned from entering the country as Nicolas Anelka could be given a five match ban.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge warns jury of wrongful prejudice over defendant’s Muslim face veil – The Guardian

‘A judge warned a jury on Wednesday that it was wrong to be prejudiced against anyone because of their expression of religious faith, as a Muslim defendant prepared to go on trial wearing a full face veil.’

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Scientology, University Unrest and Right to Die – the Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘This week, the Church of Scientology registered a win of sorts in the Supreme Court, while London’s biggest university said no to occupational student protests just as others were contemplating the possibility of gender-segregated talks  Meanwhile, the Home Secretary puts forward her answer to modern day slavery, while the Joint Committee on Human Rights puts pressure on Chris Grayling regarding the proposed legal aid reforms.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th December 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Sunday is not a day of rest: Christian discrimination appeal dismissed – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘The Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and now the Court of Appeal have all agreed that an employer was justified in requiring a Christian to work on Sundays in Mba v London Borough of Merton.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 17th December 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Gay discrimination and Christian belief: Analysis of Bull v. Hall in the Supreme Court – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The recent confirmation by the Supreme Court that it was unlawful discrimination for Christian hotel owners to refuse a double-bedded room to a same-sex couple was of considerable interest as the latest in a string of high-profile cases involving religious belief and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (and the first such judgment involving the highest court in the land). We have already provided a summary of the facts and judgment here, and our post on the Court of Appeal ruling can be found here.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th December 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Tribunal wrong on Sunday working decision, but forcing care assistant to work was proportionate, court rules – OUT-LAW.com

‘An employment tribunal was wrong to conclude that refusing to work on a Sunday for religious reasons should not be protected under discrimination law, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th December 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Mba v Merton London Borough Council – WLR Daily

Mba v Merton London Borough Council [2013] EWCA Civ 1562; [2013] WLR (D) 474

‘A provision put in place by a council care home requiring a worker who was a Christian whose genuine belief that Sunday was a day of worship and rest to work on Sundays as rostered discriminated against the worker but was a proportionate means of achieving the legitimate aim of running the care home effectively.’

WLR Daily, 5th December 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Mba, Article 9 and Indirect Discrimination – Employment Law Blog

‘Ms Eweida, you may recall, is the British Airways employee who wanted to wear a cross on a necklace over her uniform so that others could see it. She considered that that was a religious belief. Over-simplifying, doing what she wanted to do meant a breach of her employer’s dress code. Ms Eweida complained that, amongst other things, she was the victim of an act of indirect discrimination.’

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Employment Law Blog, 5th December 2013

Source: www.employment11kbw.com

Christian Celestina Mba loses Sunday shifts appeal – BBC News

‘A Christian care worker who claimed she was forced to leave her job after refusing to work Sundays because of her faith has lost her legal appeal.’

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BBC News, 5th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dress Codes And Discrimination Claims – No. 5 Chambers

“Dress codes in the workplace are not uncommon. Most Employers have a certain standard of dress in the workplace, whether enforced through contractual terms or through customary practices. More recently, we have seen informal advice given by senior solicitors to new female recruits at Berwin Leighton. The advice was addressed specifically at women.”

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No. 5 Chambers, 7th November 2013

Source: www.no5.com

Lord Chief Justice: public should decide if Islamic veil should be allowed in court – Daily Telegraph

“The most senior judge in England and Wales says a public consultation will open on the ‘divisive’ subject soon.”

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Daily Telegraph, 5th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice suggests using Skype and FaceTime in courts – The Independent

“Video-call technology such as Skype and FaceTime could be used to allow criminal defendants to take part in court hearings from home, the most senior judge in England and Wales has said. In his first press conference, the new Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, said the use of such applications could reduce the cost of hearings held in the run up to a trial.”

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The Independent, 5th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Christian seeks landmark ruling over Sunday shifts – Daily Telegraph

“Celestina Mba, a Christian care worker, asks the Court of Appeal to rule that she should not be forced by an employer to work on Sundays.”

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk