Kirwan’s Michael Sandys says a recent tribunal decision is ‘nonsensical’

NEWS that environmental views should be protected under employment equality laws is a step too far in the pursuit of political correctness.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal’s landmark decision concerned the case of Tim Nicholson.

It was ruled that an employee who claimed his green beliefs led to his constructive dismissal should have his environmental views protected under the employment equality laws, in effect giving these views the same protection as religious convictions.

Legislation protecting people’s rights to hold their own religious beliefs was introduced in 2003 in the form of the Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations.

In this case, the judge extended the legislation’s remit, stating that someone holding “a philosophical belief as opposed, for example, to religion” should be protected.

The crux of the matter is that all discrimination – be it sexual, religious or political – has no place in the workplace, and any victimisation should be eradicated.

But states aligning “green” views with religious beliefs is nonsensical, potentially opening the floodgates.

The worrying question is where will it stop? Will vegetarians be able to take an employer to court because meat is served in the workplace? Only time will tell.