According to a June 7 ruling, a major British food processor was ordered to pay a former worker because he was found to have been discriminated against because he did not obey orders to remove the crucifix necklace many times at work. I did.
The Employment Tribunal website was updated with a June 14 decision (pdf).
Christian factory workers earned more than £ 22,000 after the Labor Court admitted that they were victims of religious discrimination at the Two Sisters Food Group in Coupar Angus, Scotland.
2 Sisters Food Group is a leading UK food company that manufactures frozen cooked meals, chicken, pies and more.
Employment judge Louise Cohen clearly stated that Jeff Genis Kovalkovs “lost his job as a result of discrimination against him” and “his religion and wearing a necklace had profound and profound implications for him.” Said.
Kovalkoffs is a Christian and he follows the Russian Orthodox Church. He also said he was bullied.
He believes that the cross should be worn near the chest to show his commitment to his beliefs. He wore one every day. The Kovalkoffs cross was sanctified during the baptismal ceremony for his son and was a gift from his mother.
Kovalkovs was trained on the company’s policy of “no jewelery should be worn in the production area of the premises except for a single plan bundling”.
However, further exceptions have been made for religious jewelery subject to risk assessment.
On the first day of his promotion as a quality inspector in December 2019, his line manager, known only by her surname, noticed the necklace and told him to remove it.
In January 2020, Kovalkovs complained about bullying at work and was brought to a meeting with another manager wearing a necklace.
He was asked to remove it and then asked if a risk assessment had taken place, but he said he did not, the court reported. Kovalkoffs replied that his necklace is a religious jewelery and he does not want to remove it.
He was sent to McCall, and she concluded that the necklace had to be removed due to the fact that the chain contained a link, and the fact that the necklace may get entangled or trapped. ..
When Kovalkovs refused to remove the necklace, he was sent to the personnel department, and he refused to follow the administrative instructions, so he was immediately sent home.
The court concluded, based on evidence, that Kovalkovs would have continued to work for the company if this discrimination had not been made.
“It was clear that the petitioner lost his job as a result of discrimination against him,” wrote Judge Louise Cohen.
The Epoch Times contacted the 2 Sisters Food Group for comment on the decision.
follow
Owen Evans is a UK-based journalist who covers stories from a wide range of countries with a particular interest in civil liberties and free speech.