An employer does not need to accommodate an employee's religious belief that is itself discriminatory, at least where fighting discrimination is one of its aims.
An employer's aim of providing a civil partnership registration service and fighting discrimination was legitimate. The employer was not obliged to accommodate a Christian employee's refusal to carry out civil partnership ceremonies, even where accommodation was possible without disrupting the service, as the refusal was based on a religious belief which was itself discriminatory.
The EAT did not say that accommodating such beliefs would be unlawful, so employers seem to have a discretion.
The tribunal's findings of direct discrimination and harassment on grounds of religion (see our e-bulletin) were also overruled as unsupported by the facts. We understand the decision is being appealed. (LB Islington v Ladele, EAT
