All posts tagged: EHRC

Religious privilege in equality law must end, NSS tells EHRC

Religious privilege in equality law must end, NSS tells EHRC

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has called for an end to religious privilege in equality law in response to a consultation from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The EHRC consultation called for feedback on its Strategic Plan, which will guide its activities from 2025 to 2028. Its three proposed areas of focus are work, participation and good relations, and justice and the balance of rights. The EHRC is an independent statutory body responsible for encouraging equality and diversity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, and protecting and promote human rights in Britain. Work: Employment discrimination in faith schools The NSS called for the repeal of exemptions to the Equality Act 2010 which enable employment discrimination in state funded faith schools. Some, if not all, staff can be hired, promoted and remunerated on the basis of religion. In some schools, staff can be disciplined or dismissed for conduct “incompatible with the precepts” of the school’s religion. The NSS also warned about abuse of ‘genuine occupational requirements’ (GORs) which allow employers to require employees to belong to a particular …

UK equality watchdog refuses to allow staff to speak up on race, tribunal hears | Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

Published by Sam

Britain’s equality watchdog has become “an agent of the Conservative government”, refusing to countenance its staff speaking up on race, an employment tribunal has heard. Preeti Kathrecha, formerly a senior associate and race protected-characteristic lead at Britain’s equality watchdog, is suing the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) at a Manchester employment tribunal, alleging racial discrimination and unfair dismissal. She claims she was “punished and silenced” for doing her job by speaking up about race and was told never to use the term “institutional racism”. Kathrecha, who is claiming constructive dismissal, says she was psychologically exhausted when she left the EHRC in July 2021. The watchdog denies all the claims. In her witness statement, Kathrecha, who began giving evidence on Wednesday, said: “The commission, which was supposed to be independent and impartial on race and other forms of discrimination, was politicised on some areas, such as race (and, more recently, the trans debate). “By politicised I mean that the board increasingly acted as an agent of the Conservative government and against parties or organisations which …