Beard Liberation Front
Press release October 8th contact Keith Flett 07803 167266
Campaigners welcome Tribunal decision on facial hair in the workplace
Constable Downey
The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has welcomed a decision by a Northern Ireland Employment Tribunal that a police officer was discriminated against because he had facial hair.
Constable Gordon Downey was told he would need to shave his beard to comply with new regulations on wearing a respirator when required. The officer shaved his beard but kept his moustache but this was still felt to be unacceptable.
The Officer has been awarded £10,000 on the basis that he was discriminated against for having facial hair under Sex Discrimination legislation.
The campaigners say that the decision on respirators by the Police Service of Northern Ireland was an absurd one as models now exist that can be safely worn with trimmed facial hair. It is accepted that hipster and organic beards may be another matter
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, it would be preferable if legislation, as in some US States, forbade discrimination on the basis of appearance including facial hair. However Constable Downey has struck an important blow for beard wearers in the workplace
BBC Report
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49967676
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