Name: IHREC
Price range: $

What is Religious Discrimination in Work?

Discrimination on the ‘religion ground’ happens where there is less favourable treatment of one person compared to another person because one has a different religious belief, background or outlook from the other, or that one has a religious belief, background or outlook and the other has not.

The areas of work covered include advertising, pay, access to employment, vocational training, work experience, terms and conditions, promotions, pensions, dismissal, and collective agreements.

Example An employer asks a candidate their religion, or if they believe in God.

Learn about types of discrimination

À qui puis-je m'adresser ?

La CMR est l'organe chargé de statuer en première instance sur les plaintes pour discrimination.

Les plaintes déposées en vertu des lois sur l'égalité en matière d'emploi et des lois sur l'égalité de statut sont adressées à la Commission des relations sur le lieu de travail (WRC).

La WRC traite les plaintes liées à l'emploi et aux services ou biens.

Les plaintes pour discrimination fondée sur le sexe peuvent être déposées auprès de la Circuit Court ou de la WRC.

En savoir plus sur la manière de porter un cas devant la CMR

Commission des relations du travail (CRT)

What law protects you against discrimination in work?

The Employment Equality Acts (EEA) protect you from discrimination at work.

You are protected by the EEA if you are:

A full-time, part-time or temporary employee
A public or private sector employee
A self-employed contractor or partner in a partnership
An officeholder in state or local authorities
Seeking work through employment agencies
A trainee doing vocational training
A member of a trade organisation, trade union or professional body
Doing paid work experience

Note: The Employment Equality Acts do not cover volunteers.

What rights do you have in work?

Reasonable Accommodations

Employers, potential employers and workplaces must make ‘reasonable accommodation’ for people with a disability.

This means that if you have a disability, your employer or potential employer must take effective practical steps to enable you to do your job, apply for a job, attend training or make progress in your job.

You have the right to ask for reasonable accommodation both at the recruitment stage and at work. Reasonable accommodation could involve adapting premises, changing working hours or giving you different tasks. However, the measures must be reasonable for the employer as well as for you.

Learn more about Reasonable Accommodations

Harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation

Employment law prohibits harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation by employers and in workplaces.

Harassment may be carried out by:

Your employer
Managers
Co-workers
Clients
Customers and service users
Other business contacts at your workplace, such as delivery workers, cleaners, maintenance workers, students, volunteers or professional contractors

Learn more about harassment

Exceptions et exemptions

Il existe certaines exemptions aux lois sur l'égalité en matière d'emploi.

Cela signifie que les employeurs bénéficient d'une exemption dans certaines situations.

Ces exemptions se répartissent en trois groupes :

les exemptions générales s'appliquant à tous les types d'emploi
Exemptions s'appliquant à des types d'emploi spécifiques
Exemptions liées à un ou plusieurs motifs protégés

Exemptions to the religion ground

Certain religious, educational and medical institutions may give more favourable treatment on the religion ground to an employee or prospective employee, where it is reasonable to do so, in order to maintain the religious ethos of the institution.

However, an education or medical institution that is whole or part publicly funded cannot provide more favourable treatment on the religion ground unless;

it can demonstrate that the treatment is necessary by reason of the nature of the institution’s activities;
and therefore, the religion or belief of the employee or prospective employee constitutes a genuine, legitimate;
and justified occupational requirement having regard to the institution’s ethos; and
the institution must ensure that the treatment does not constitute discrimination on any of the other discriminatory grounds.

These institutions can also reserve places on certain teaching and nursing courses on religious grounds if the education and health authorities consider it to be reasonably necessary to ensure the religious ethos is preserved.

Action positive

En plus d'interdire la discrimination, les lois sur l'égalité en matière d'emploi autorisent les actions positives pour garantir à chacun l'égalité des chances au travail.

Cela signifie que les employeurs peuvent prévenir ou compenser les désavantages liés à l'un des motifs protégés en offrant un traitement favorable aux personnes concernées par ces motifs.

Par exemple, un employeur peut proposer des horaires de travail flexibles ou le travail à domicile aux travailleurs handicapés. Il peut également mettre à la disposition de ses employés une crèche pour les aider à s'occuper de leurs enfants, ou des cours d'anglais pour les travailleurs dont l'anglais n'est pas la langue maternelle.