Tribunal clears theological college of religious discrimination (From Malvern Gazette)

Tribunal clears theological college of religious discrimination

6:00pm Tuesday 31st May 2011 in News

REGENTS Theological College in West Malvern has successfully opposed a compensation claim for discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief.

Elizabeth Senior, who was an administrator, made her compensation claim against the college at Birmingham Employment Tribunal after complaining she was unfairly dismissed.

The college is a training centre for the Elim Pentecostal Church which has 500 churches in the UK.

The college opposed the discrimination allegation and said Mrs Senior was dismissed because the management was not satisfied with her work performance.

The tribunal was told that Mrs Senior, of West Malvern, had successfully applied for the administrator’s job after being a committed christian since the age of 12.

But the college became concerned about her work performance.

Tribunal judge Karen Tucker said: ”We have been told that Mrs Senior not always turned up for work on time and the college complained she would leave her work place without saying where she was going.

“Mrs Senior did not accept she had done anything wrong and allegedly did not respond to requests to improve.”

Miss Tucker said that when Mrs Senior was dismissed she wanted to know why.

“She believed she had been dismissed on the grounds of religion or belief – alleging because she had not been a Pentecostal church member.

“But the tribunal has decided that the reason for the dismissal was because of her work performance.

“As a result Miss Senior’s compensation claim for discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief is rejected.”

Miss Tucker wished both Mrs Senior and the college the best of luck.

Mrs Senior declined to comment after the hearing.

Andrew Cave, operations director at the college, said: “The college is pleased that the tribunal’s verdict was that it had not shown and discrimination of any kind in making its decision.”