Discrimination and privacy in religious workspaces: a welcome ruling on “ethos organisations”

Last week, the Grand Chamber of the CJEU handed down its fourth case on religious discrimination under the Equal Treatment Directive in employment and occupation: IR v JQ. It is a welcome exposition of limitations on the ability of ethos organisations – those founded on a particular religion or belief – to discriminate against workers. The CJEU appears to take a more stringent approach to restrictions on ethos organisations than that expounded by the split judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) Grand Chamber in Fernández Martínez. The legal issue in both cases related to an ethos organisation dismissing an employee for reasons involving its religious stance.