WORKER SUES BOSS BECAUSE HE’S VEGAN
Court rules ethical stance a ‘protected belief’
AN ANIMAL rights activist has been given permission to sue his former bosses for discrimination because he is an “ethical vegan”.
Rafal Mysakowski stopped eating meat aged three and claims to avoid all products that involve “the exploitation of animals”.
He has come under fire in the past for leaving painted stones on Scots mountain tops with messages including, “Be kind to animals or I’ll kill you”.
Mr Mysakowski’s commitment to ethical veganism means he has almost entirely excluded the use of animal products, with the exception of the leather steering
wheel in his car and prescription medication.
But he ran into problems when he took a job as a machine operator at Broxburn Bottlers in West Lothian in November 2022.
His employment ended five months later.
The case, thought to be the first case of its kind in the country, arose last year after Mr Mysakowski raised concerns to his boss, Tom
Young, about a senior male manager who was massaging the neck of a junior female employee.
During the hearing, the vegan gave evidence about the manager’s “conduct” towards female employees.
It is unclear under what circumstances Mr Mysakowski left the company but he has sued them for being discriminated against for his beliefs, unfair dismissal and detriment due to whistleblowing.
A preliminary hearing concluded that Mr Mysakowski’s veganism is a “protected belief ” and that he did make a “protected disclosure” when whistleblowing the inappropriate behaviour to his boss.
The case will now progress to a full employment tribunal.
Employment Judge Melanie Sangster told the hearing in Edinburgh: “Mr Mysakowski genuinely held the belief of ethical veganism, and he sought to adhere to that belief in his day-today life.
“It impacted what he ate, what he wore, the products he used and where he worked.”