You can’t sack me... I’m a stoic
Shop worker has ancient belief recognised by court
AS a devoted follower of the philosophy of stoicism, Samuel Jackson should really have just accepted his fate.
But when the supermarket employee was sacked for making an offensive comment he decided on legal action.
And he was rewarded when a judge ruled that his belief in the ancient Greek school of thought should be recognised by law.
Mr Jackson claimed it was unfair to dismiss him because stoicism taught he should act without concern for offence.
Bosses at Lidl, where he worked in communications, fired him after he allegedly said ‘Asians are greasy’ and failed to apologise properly. Mr Jackson sued the German firm for religious and belief discrimination as well as disability discrimination. He claimed he was part of a protected belief group and his dyslexia meant he mixed up words and was unable to apologise properly.
Mr Jackson told the Croydon employment tribunal in south London that under his beliefs: ‘The realisation that the consequence of what I say would cause offence would not stop me from saying it.’
Stoicism emphasises the development of self-control and fortitude as a way of overcoming destructive emotions and remaining happy in the face of adversity.
Mr Jackson argued it was a protected belief under the Equality Act 2010 – a claim that was upheld.
His application to be treated as disabled due to dyslexia also succeeded. But the employment judge, Simon Cheetham QC, allowed only a claim of indirect discrimination to go to a future full hearing.
Judge Cheetham said: ‘Stoicism is just one of innumerable schools of thought attempting to answer the most profound questions that we ask and the claimant has further demonstrated this through his contextualisation of stoicism alongside the major religions.
‘The claimant’s philosophical beliefs based upon stoicism are genuinely held.’
Stoicism was founded in Athens in around 300BC by Zeno of Citium. Its most famous adherent was Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.
‘Most profound questions’