Religious Limits On Arbitrators Invalidated By British Appellate Court

In Jivraj v. Hashwani, (EWCA, June 22, 2010), Britain's Court of Appeal held that Britain's Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003 invalidate a provision in a private commercial arbitration provision requiring that arbitrators are to be drawn from members of a particular religious community. The agreement provided that "All arbitrators shall be respected members of the Ismaili community and holders of high office within the community." The trial court had held that arbitrators were not in an employment relationship and thus were not covered by the non-discrimination regulations. The Court of Appeal reversed, finding that so long as the relationship grew out of a contract, it was covered. Lexology reports on the decision.