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Dismissal Through Psychic Belief

27/11/2009

Man dismissed as a result of his belief in psychics is protected by anti-discrimination law.

An employee of Greater Manchester Police is attempting to bring a claim against his ex-employer for religious/belief discrimination as he maintains that he was dismissed from his post due to his belief that psychics and mediums can be useful when investigating crimes.

The employee has been a member of a spiritualist church for over 30 years and was of the opinion that his beliefs were the same as religious or philosophical convictions – therefore affording him the protection of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.

His claim has been backed by Judge Peter Russell who, in the Manchester Employment Tribunal, stated “the employees beliefs in life after death and that the dead can be contacted through mediums are worthy of respect in a democratic society and have sufficient cogency, seriousness, cohesion, and importance to fall into the category of a philosophical belief”.

Greater Manchester Police appealed this decision but were unsuccessful.

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