The Law

The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 outlaw discrimination in employment and vocational training on the grounds of religion or belief.  

The Religion or Belief provisions of Part 2 of the Equality Act 2006 came into effect on 30th April 2007.

The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of religion or belief:-

* in the provision of goods, facilities and services
* in the disposal and management of premises
* in education
* in the exercise of public functions

Discrimination in part 2 does not include acts by a service provider motivated by their own religion. If a religious service provider refuses to provide a particular service to a woman because that would conflict with the religion of the service provider, the woman cannot use part 2 of the Equality Act to challenge this. She would have to seek an alternative legal remedy. The focus in part 2 of the Act is on the religion or belief of the person being discriminated against, not the religion or belief of the discriminator.

Religion or belief is not clearly defined in the Act which only states “any religion, religious belief, or similar philosophical belief”. Excluded are “any philosophical or political belief unless that belief is similar to a religious belief.”  It does cover those who have no religions belief such as atheists or agnostics.  Considerations for religion or belief would include:

• collective worship, or  
• clear belief system, or
• profound belief affecting a way of life, or world view.

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