I’m not sorry... against my religion SACKED WORKER CAN SUE

A SACKED Lidl worker can sue his former employer for discrimination after a judge ruled being outspoken is the equivalent of religious faith.

Samuel Jackson claims he was treated unfairly for following the principles of the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism.

The analyst said he was dismissed for making an offensive remark, something his belief system allowed him to do, and because he was unable to apologise sufficiently.

Now an employment tribunal judge has ruled that Stoicism – which holds that “virtue is the only good” – counts as a belief equivalent to religious faith and allowed him to pursue his case.

Offence

The issues will now be tested in a public hearing.

Mr Jackson, a social media consultant, argued his beliefs meant he was unable to behave as his employer wanted when he was accused of making a derogatory remark about Asian people and was sacked for making an “insufficient” apology. He argued that, as a dyslexic, he mixed up his words. And he also said he was required to act and speak according to his principles, even if they caused offence.

The judgment of the south London tribunal states: “An apology was the consequence of his mixed words, which was not his fault.

“He was being penalised for not apologising ( or not apologising sufficiently) but that was the consequence of something he had not intended.

“As to the requirement to communicate in a particular way, he said this was something which, as a Stoic, he could not do.”