An employee at an educational establishment told management that he intended to undergo gender reassignment. He was given notice of dismissal. Held: The scope of the Directive was not confined to discrimination based on the fact that a person was of one or other sex but also extended to discrimination arising from the gender reassignment … Continue reading P v S and Cornwall County Council: ECJ 30 Apr 1996
The parties had lived together in a house owned in the defendant’s name and in which she claimed an interest. The claimant’s solicitors notified NCIS that they thought the defendant had acted illegally in setting off against his VAT liability the VAT on works carried out on his own property. Because of the delay which … Continue reading Bowman v Fels (Bar Council and Others intervening): CA 8 Mar 2005
ECJ The court considered the measure of compensation in a successful claim for sex discrimination arising from the health authority’s provision of an earlier compulsory retirement age for women compared with that for men in the same employment. The health authority paid her the maximum sum of pounds 6,250 which was then permitted as compensation … Continue reading M H Marshall v Southampton And South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching): ECJ 26 Feb 1986
The claimant had been dismissed as a teacher by the respondent Roman Catholic school after she became pregnant by a priest. She had been found to have been unfairly dismissed, but the tribunal had rejected her claim of discrimination for pregnancy. Judges: Mummery J P Citations: [1996] IRLR 372, [1997] ICR 33, [1996] UKEAT 1180 … Continue reading O’Neill v Governors of St Thomas More RC School and Another: EAT 24 May 1996
The female civilian officer alleged sex discrimination against her by a police officer. Her complaint was heard at an internal disciplinary. She alleged sexual harrassment, and was further humiliated by the all male board’s treatment of her complaint. The complaint now was solely as to her treatment by the Board. Held: The body was a … Continue reading Heath v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis: CA 20 Jul 2004
The department complained that the defendants had entered into a transaction with their farm at an undervalue so as to defeat its claim for recovery of sums due. The transaction used the grant of a tenancy by the first chargee. Held: The farmers’ appeal as to the farm transaction failed: ‘beyond argument that DEFRA was … Continue reading Feakins and Another v Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Civ 1513): CA 9 Dec 2005
EAT Sex Discrimination – Indirect – European Material – Article 19. EAT European Material – Article 19 EAT Equal Pay Act – (no sub-topic). Judges: The Honourable Mr Justice Lindsay (President) Citations: EAT/1080/98, EAT/1300/97, [2000] UKEAT 1300 – 97 – 2903 Links: EAT, EAT, Bailii Statutes: Equal Treatment Directive (Council Directive 76/207/EEC Jurisdiction: England and … Continue reading Allonby v Accrington and Rossendale College: EAT 29 Mar 2000
The college failed to renew contracts for lecturers on one year fixed term contracts. A greater proportion of women were subject to such contracts, and the dismissal fell entirely on part time and hourly paid workforce. The condition which the complainant relied upon as discriminatory was that in order to qualify for re-engagement she had … Continue reading Allonby v Accrington and Rossendale College and others: CA 23 Mar 2001
The claimants sought to assert their rights under the Equal Treatment Directive, whoch had not been implemented. She had been made to retire at 60, but said that had she been a man she would not have had to retire until she reached 65 years old. She had succeeded at the Industrial Tribunal, but failed … Continue reading Doughty v Rolls Royce Plc: CA 19 Dec 1991
Europa Social policy ‘Protection of pregnant women’ Directive 92/85/EEC ‘Article 10’ Prohibition on dismissal from the beginning of pregnancy to the end of maternity leave ‘Period of protection Decision to dismiss a female worker during that period of protection’ Notification and implementation of the decision to dismiss after the expiry of that period ‘ Equal … Continue reading Nadine Paquay v Societe d’architectes Hoet + Minne SPRL (Social Policy): ECJ 11 Oct 2007
The claimant sought to allege race discrimination and appealed refusal by the respondents to release required documents. She had been turned down for an appointment to the Trident task force, and sought disclosure of the reasons. The respondent said that she had failed in her vetting, and that they were prohibited in law from disclosing … Continue reading Barracks v Coles and Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis: CA 21 Jul 2006
ECJ Opinion – Directive 97/81/EC – Directive 76/207/EEC – Social policy – Equal treatment as between part-time and full-time workers – Equal treatment as between male and female workers – Working hours and organisation of working-time.A part-time worker was engaged under a framework contract of employment which lasted in the event from October 1998 to … Continue reading Wippel v Peek and Cloppenburg GmbH and Co. KG: ECJ 12 Oct 2004
(Judgment) Social policy – Men and women – Access to employment and working conditions – Equal treatment – Dismissal of a woman on grounds of absence due to an illness attributable to pregnancy or confinement – Permissible – Account taken, when calculating the period providing grounds for dismissal, of absence outside periods of maternity leave … Continue reading Handels-og Kontorfunktionaerernes Forbund i Danmark, acting on behalf of Larsson v Dansk Handel and Service, acting on behalf of Ftex Supermarked A/S: ECJ 29 May 1997
An automatic preference of women ceteris paribus was discriminatory and unlawful. Any derogation from article 2.4 must be interpreted strictly. Citations: Times 26-Oct-1995, C-450/93, [1995] EUECJ C-450/93, [1995] ECR I-3051 Links: Bailii Statutes: Equal Treatment Directive (Council Directive 76/207/EEC Jurisdiction: European Cited by: Cited – Percy v Church of Scotland Board of National Mission HL … Continue reading Kalanke v Freie Hansestadt Bremen: ECJ 17 Oct 1995
The claimants sought a declaration that part of the Regulations were invalid, and an infringement of their human rights. The Regulations sought to exempt church schools from an obligation not to discriminate against homosexual teachers. Held: The Regulation was within the scope of the Directive. Though a member state had some freedom in implementing a … Continue reading Regina (Amicus etc) v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry: Admn 26 Apr 2004
An employer is in direct contravention of the principle of equal treatment embodied in Articles 2(1) and 3(1) of Council Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions if he refuses to … Continue reading Dekker v Stichting Vormingscentrum Voor Jong Volwassenen: ECJ 8 Nov 1990
The principles of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights must be taken into consideration in community law. The principle of effective judicial control laid down in article 6 of Council Directive 76/207, a principle which underlies the constitutional traditions common to the member states and which is laid down in articles 6 … Continue reading Johnston v Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary: ECJ 15 May 1986
Europa The principle of equal treatment contained in article 5 of council directive 76/207 applies to the conditions of access to voluntary redundancy benefit paid by an employer to a worker wishing to leave his employment.The fact that access to voluntary redundancy is available only during the five years preceding the minimum pensionable age fixed … Continue reading Burton v British Railways Board: ECJ 16 Feb 1982
It was possible for the Royal Marine unit to exclude the employment of a woman as a chef. The requirement not to discriminate was overriding save where the nature of the work makes the sex of the worker a determining factor. The nature and rules of a marine unit, required interoperability, in that any member … Continue reading Sirdar v Army Board and Another: ECFI 27 Oct 1999
EC directive on equal rights requires single parents to set off child care costs. A social security benefit designed to keep low income workers in employment or to encourage them into employment was within the scope of Directive 76/207/EC, not only as being directly related to access to employment, but also on the basis that … Continue reading Meyers v Adjudication Officer: ECJ 19 Jul 1995
Dismissal for any illness associated with pregnancy is for a sex related reason, and is discriminatory, and unlawful irrespective of the contractual right being otherwise applied equally to men suffering illness. Pregnancy is a period during which disorders and complications may arise compelling a woman to undergo strict medical supervision and, in some cases, to … Continue reading Brown v Rentokil Ltd: ECJ 30 Jun 1998
Rules which precluded an employee who was absent for maternity reasons from taking part in performance assessments affecting future promotion rights were breach of Council Directive. Citations: Times 13-May-1998 Statutes: Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment Art 2(3) Art 5(1) … Continue reading Ciasse Nationale D’Assurance Vieillesse Des Travailleurs Salries v Thibault: ECJ 13 May 1998
The claimant appealed after her claim for sex discrimination had failed. She had been dismissed from her position an associate minister of the church. The court had found that it had no jurisdiction, saying that her appointment was not an employment. However the jurisdiction in sex discrimination cases was wider, extending to those who ‘contract … Continue reading Percy v Church of Scotland Board of National Mission: HL 15 Dec 2005
A dismissal linked to a sex change was a breach of the sex discrimination Directive. Citations: Times 07-May-1996, C-13/94 Statutes: Council Directive 76/207/EEC Feb 9 1976 Discrimination, European Updated: 10 April 2022; Ref: scu.87664
The claimant had lodged an appeal against a rejection of her claim of sex discrimination, and against the amount of damages awarded on the success of her claim of unfair dismissal. After rejection of her request for a review, her counsel had lodged a letter withdrawing her appeal. She then received a reply from the … Continue reading O’Neill v Governors of St Thomas More RC School: EAT 12 Oct 1995
ECJ Article 2(1) and (3), read in conjunction with Articles 3(1) and 5(1) of Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions, precludes an employment contract without a fixed term for night-time work entered into … Continue reading Habermann-Beltermann v Arbeiterwohlfahrt: ECJ 5 May 1994
The Equal Treatment Directive is concerned with ‘workers’ which is a term of art in Community law: ‘That concept must be defined in accordance with objective criteria which distinguish the employment relationship by reference to the rights and duties of the persons concerned. The essential feature of an employment relationship, however, is that for a … Continue reading Deborah Lawrie-Blum v Land Baden-Wuerttemberg: ECJ 3 Jul 1986
Questions on pregnancy dismissals included unavailability at required time. The correct comparison under the Act of 1975 was between the pregnant woman and: ‘a hypothetical man who would also be unavailable at the critical time. The relevant circumstance for the purposes of the comparison required by section 5(3) to be made is expected unavailability at … Continue reading Webb v EMO Air Cargo (UK) Ltd (No 1): HL 3 Mar 1993
There was a dispute between an employee of the company, a subsidiary of the British Railways Board, a body created by the Transport Act 1962 to manage the railways in the united kingdom, and her employer concerning discrimination alleged to be suffered by female employees who on retirement no longer continue to enjoy travel facilities … Continue reading Garland v British Rail Engineering Ltd: HL 19 Jan 1981
The claimant sought equal pay with other, male, warehouse operatives who were doing work of equal value but for more money. The Court of Appeal had held that since other men were also employed on the same terms both as to pay and work, her claim failed. Held: The claim was not disbarred in this … Continue reading Pickstone v Freemans Plc: HL 30 Jun 1988
coote_granadaECJ1998 The employer had refused to provide a reference after the claimant had left the company after making a sex discrimination claim. She said this was victimisation. Held: The state has a duty to protect workers against retaliation after employment has been terminated by employers against who claim for sex discrimination had been successful. Victimisation … Continue reading Coote v Granada Hospitality Ltd: ECJ 22 Sep 1998
ECJ Principle of equal pay for men and women – Direct effect – Meaning of worker – Self-employed female lecturer undertaking work presumed to be of equal value to that which is undertaken in the same college by male lecturers who are employees, but under contract with a third company – Self-employed lecturers not eligible … Continue reading Allonby v Accrington and Rossendale College for Education and Employment: ECJ 13 Jan 2004
Steps taken which amounted to positive discrimination by a national body need not always amount to unlawful discrimination. The steps should be taken to correct a present imbalance, and should not give automatic and unconditional priority where the . .
A provision in national legislation restricting the activities of women in the armed services to medical and military-music service, and restricting them from being involved in any arms bearing capacity, was in breach of the Equal Treatment . .
The claimant pursued Employment Tribunal proceedings against the Immigration Service when his security clearance was withdrawn. The Tribunal allowed the respondent to use a closed material procedure under which it was provided with evidence unseen . .
The applicants sought asylum. Their child had a right of residence as a European citizen. Held: The applicants could not rely upon their child’s right of residence to establish one for themselves. Judges: Lord Justice Keene Lord Justice May Lord Justice Wall Citations: Times 07-Jun-2006, [2006] EWCA Civ 484 Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and Wales … Continue reading Ali v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 3 May 2006
EAT Disability Discrimination – DisabilityNicholas Kirker was employed by British Sugar plc as a shift chemist until dismissed. He has very poor eyesight and is registered as fully blind. He claimed he had been discriminated against as a disabled person and unfairly dismissed. Both claims succeeded in the employment tribunal and were upheld by the … Continue reading Jones, Kirker, Angel and Bond v 3M Healthcare Ltd, Ambitions Personnel (Nottinghamshire) Ltd, British Sugar Plc, New Possibilities NHS Trust and Hackney: EAT 11 Dec 2001
Retained or part-time firefighters sought parity of working conditions with full time firefighters. Held: The retained firefighters’ appeal succeeded (Lords Carswell and Mance dissenting). The test was whether the part-time and full time workers had substantially similar contract and did substantially similar work. What was meant by similarity in this case had to be tested … Continue reading Matthews and others v Kent and Medway Towns and Fire Authority and others: HL 1 Mar 2006
The national court is under an obligation to ensure that Article 5 of Directive 76/207 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions is fully complied with by refraining from applying any conflicting provision of national legislation, unless … Continue reading Ministere public and Direction du travail and de l’emploi v Levy (Rec 1993,p I-4287) (SV93-295) (Judgment): ECJ 2 Aug 1993
The defendants (BGC) were nationalised suppliers of gas. BGC was by statute a body with a legal persona operating under the supervision of the authorities. Its members were appointed by the Secretary of State, who also determined their remuneration. The statutory objective set was the development and maintenance of an efficient, co-ordinated and economical supply … Continue reading Foster and others v British Gas plc: ECJ 12 Jul 1990
Although fewer men were affected by the two year qualifying period before becoming entitled not to be dismissed unfairly, the difference was objectively justified by the need to encourage employers to take staff on, and was not directly derived from any discriminatory reason. It was not a breach of the Directive. Lord Nicholls said: ‘The … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State For Employment Ex Parte Seymour-Smith and Another (No 2): HL 17 Feb 2000
The House was asked for a preliminary ruling before a referral of the case to the ECJ as to whether the applicants could rely as against the British Gas Corporation on an unimplemented Council Directive. Although the gas industry had been privatised by the time of the litigation and the rights and liabilities of the … Continue reading Foster v British Gas plc: HL 1991
The fact that an employment contract was tainted with illegality of which the employee was aware, did not deprive the employee of the possibility of claiming rights which were due to her under a statute which created rights associated with but not dependent upon the contract. There could be no derogation from the European Directive … Continue reading Hall v Woolston Hall Leisure Limited: CA 23 May 2000
LMA Art.177[Art.234] EC proceedings – Ms Van Colson had applied for a job with the prison service and Ms Harz had applied for a job with a private company Deutsche Tradex GmbH. Both had been rejected. The German court found that they had been rejected on grounds of sex and that the rejection had not … Continue reading von Colson and Kamann v Land Nordrhein-Westfalen: ECJ 10 Apr 1984
The appellant had worked as a part time judge. He now said that he should be entitled to a judicial pension on retirement by means of the Framework Directive. The Regulations disapplied the provisions protecting part time workers for judicial office holders paid on a daily fee-paid basis. Held: The matter required to be referred … Continue reading O’Brien v Ministry of Justice: SC 28 Jul 2010
The claimant was a male to female trans-sexual who had been refused employment as a police officer by the respondent, who had said that the staturory requirement for males to search males and for females to search females would be impossible to comply with. She had sought to be employed on the basis that her … Continue reading A v West Yorkshire Police: HL 6 May 2004