A recent survey has found that almost half of the businesses questioned do nothing to accommodate vegan employees. The majority of employers surveyed (74%) were not aware that veganism could amount to a belief protected by the Equality Act 2010 (the Act).
The survey undertaken by Crossland Employment Solicitors also highlighted that a lot of businesses are not fully aware of what being vegan is and why employees choose to be vegan.
Vegan discrimination claims
Under the Act, it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against, harass or victimise an employee due to religion or belief. In order for an employee to establish that veganism is a belief protected by the Act, they would need to show that their belief is:
- Genuinely held;
- A belief as to a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour;
- Attains a certain level of cogency, seriousness and importance;
- Worthy of respect in a democratic society and are not incompatible with human dignity or rights; and
- Not an opinion or view based on current information.
The Vegan Society reported earlier this year that 1 in 3 people in the UK stopped or reduced their meat consumption in 2018, so it is important that employers do all they can to accommodate vegan employees. Here are a few examples how a business can do this:
- Ensure vegan options are available
If the business has a workplace cafeteria/restaurant they should ensure that at least one vegan food option is available or provide vegan snacks for meetings (if providing snacks for meetings is their usual working practice).
- Monitor potential bullying and/or harassment
Comments about people being vegan could be deemed offensive by some workers. If this happens it is worth referring employees to the company’s employment policies and procedures regarding bullying and harassment and the workers obligations to them.
- Make special accommodations if needed
In circumstances where a vegan employee may not feel entirely comfortable undertaking a certain aspect of work, e.g. visiting a client who supplies or cooks meat products, the business should attempt to make accommodations, so that the person in question is happy to undertake this work responsibility.
Essentially, a business needs to ensure that their business is welcoming and inclusive of vegan beliefs, creating a culture of understanding and respect.
How Nelsons Can Help
Peter Nicholson is an Associate in our specialist Employment Law team.
For further information or to comment on this article, please contact Peter or another member of our team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.