When and where could religious discrimination take place?
This section gives examples of areas where discrimination on grounds of religion or belief could take place.
Find out more about how all forms of discrimination could affect you in these areas.
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Working and earning
There are laws to protect you from discrimination on grounds of religion or belief when you apply for a job, while you work and after you leave a company. You are also protected if you have no religion or belief.
Example
During an interview, a Christian woman refers to the church that she regularly attends. Although she has the skills to do the job successfully, the interviewer does not employ her, because she does not like the idea of working alongside someone who believes in God. This would be unlawful direct discrimination.
Example
A Sikh man takes his employer to a tribunal for banning ‘headwear’, as his religion says he must wear a turban. He later leaves the company and asks his old employer for a reference. The employer refuses, saying that the man is a ‘troublemaker’ and he couldn’t recommend him to another employer. This would be unlawful victimisation.
Example
A chief executive introduces a ‘no headwear’ rule for all staff. This would put Sikh men who wear a turban and Jewish men who wear a kippah at a disadvantage. This is an example of indirect religious discrimination, and would need to be justified otherwise it may be unlawful.
Example
A manager arranges for his team to go to football matches once a month. During these trips, a group of employees chant anti-Muslim slogans and make offensive comments about Islam. The manager does nothing to stop his staff’s behaviour. This is an example of religious harassment. Companies can be held responsible for harassment carried out by their staff in the workplace or at an event or venue associated with work.
Example
A religious woman frequently refers to her colleagues as ‘sinners’ and warns them that they will go to hell if they do not convert to her religion. This is an example of religious harassment.
Example
A man who is an atheist is targeted by his Christian colleague, who believes that she must try to convert him to her religion. She leaves religious texts on his desk and tries to engage him in conversations about Christianity. The man complains to his employer, who tells him to ignore her. This is an example of harassment from a colleague on grounds of no religious belief. The employer is also liable to legal action for failing to deal with the harassment.
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Learning and training
Your religious beliefs – or lack of them – should not affect your access to education or training (although certain forms of selection by schools according to religion or belief may be lawful in some circumstances). Nor should it affect the quality of what you are taught.
Find out more about the rights of pupils, students and parents in learning and training.
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Shops and services
Nobody has the right to refuse you products or services because of your religion or belief, or because you have no religion or belief.
Example
A hotel owner refuses to allow a Muslim couple to book a room because he is wary of Muslims following the 2005 terrorist bombings in London. This would be unlawful direct discrimination.
Example
A manager at a religious charity gives his receptionist the sack when he finds out that she no longer has religious beliefs. This is likely to be seen as direct discrimination, as the receptionist does not need to have religious beliefs in order to carry out her job.
Find out more about your rights to access products and services.
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Health and social care
Health and social care services should meet the needs of people from all backgrounds. You should not be treated less favourably than anyone else because of your religion or belief, or because you have no religion or belief.
Example
An abortion clinic restricts applications for a job to people who do not have religious beliefs. This is an example of indirect religious discrimination.
Example
A patient gives evidence against a doctor at a tribunal where the doctor is responding to allegations of religious discrimination. He now finds that whenever he tries to book an appointment with his GP, the receptionists say that no appointment is available. This is an example of unlawful victimisation.
Example
A nurse repeatedly mocks a patient about the religious clothes worn by his family members when they visit the hospital. When the patient complains, he is told not to worry, as the nurse is only ‘having a laugh’. This is an example of religious harassment.
Find out more about your rights in health and social care.
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Housing
Regardless of your religion or belief (or lack thereof), you have the same housing rights as everybody else. You also have the right to enjoy your home and property without harassment.
Example
A landlord will only open a laundry room on a Saturday. This suits most of the tenants, who are Christian. However, some tenants are Jewish and Muslim. Saturday is their religious day and they are unable to use the laundry when it is open. The landlord’s policy is an example of indirect religious discrimination.
Example
A woman gives evidence at a tribunal against a landlord who had religiously discriminated against another tenant. She finds that after she has given evidence her landlord will no longer let her use the property’s communal gardens. This is an example of victimisation.
Example
A seller instructs an estate agent not to sell her home to Muslims. This is an unlawful instruction to discriminate on grounds of religion. If the estate agent accepted the instruction, the seller and the agent would be liable to legal action for direct discrimination on religious grounds.
Find out more about your rights in housing.
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Justice
It is unlawful to treat you less favourably than someone else on the grounds of your religion or belief (or lack thereof) when it comes to access to, or quality of service from, the criminal justice system. This includes the police, legal services and the courts.
Find out more about your rights in the justice system.
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