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Religion or belief discrimination: Asserted belief about climate change capable of protection as "philosophical belief"

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    Grainger plc v Nicholson [2010] IRLR 4 EAT (1 other report)

    • Grainger plc and others v Nicholson

      Date:
      4 November 2009

      The Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that an employee's asserted belief that mankind is heading towards catastrophic climate change and we are under a moral duty to act to mitigate or avoid this is capable of being a philosophical belief for the purposes of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/1660).

In Grainger plc v Nicholson [2010] IRLR 4 EAT, the EAT held that the employee can challenge his dismissal as being an act of discrimination on grounds of his asserted philosophical belief in climate change and the environment, provided that he is able to establish that his belief is genuinely held and that it satisfies certain specified limitations and criteria as to the nature of the belief.