British Case Focuses On Whether Belief In Psychics Is Protected Under Employment Equality Rules

London's The Independent reports today on an appeal pending in Britain's Employment Appeal Tribunal. Former police trainer Alan Power was fired by the Greater Manchester Police department. Power believes in psychics and their usefulness in police investigations. The police department appealed after a Manchester Employment Tribunal judge held that Power's belief could fall under the protections of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. In the case below, Judge Peter Russell said:

I am satisfied that the claimant's beliefs that there is 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 for the purpose of the 2003 Regulations.

The judge said that Power would still have to show that his firing was because of his belief, and not because he was inappropriately trying to press his beliefs on others. This case follows a decision last week by the Employment Appeals Tribunal that environmentalist beliefs could be covered by the equality regulations. (See prior posting.)