Ashamed To Be British Is How I Feel Today.

Tribunal rules Christian was wrong to talk about her faith.

An Employment Tribunal in London has ruled that a Christian  occupational therapist was wrong to talk to her Muslim  colleague about Christianity. Victoria Wasteney has worked as a senior occupational  therapist in east London for eight years and has an  exemplary record.

But an Employment Tribunal has now backed Victoria’s  employer, the East London NHS Foundation Trust,  claiming that it was inappropriate for her to pray for  her colleague, give her a Christian book and invite  her to church events. The decision leaves Victoria out in the cold for being  open and honest about her Christian faith. It also leaves  unchallenged workplace environments that are  increasingly restrictive when it comes to discussing  faith at work.

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Witness and challenge

Victoria’s colleague had encouraged Victoria to talk  about her faith, willingly agreed that she could pray  for her and even accepted an invitation to a church  charity event. Despite the fact that Victoria didn't force her views # on her colleague at any point, in June 2013 her  colleague made a formal complaint. Victoria was  then suspended for 9 months pending an investigation. This happened even though her colleague had  never complained to Victoria personally and had  often initiated discussions about Victoria’s faith. In February 2014 an internal disciplinary panel found  Victoria guilty of three charges of misconduct related  to the accusations of “bullying and harassment”.  Now the Employment Tribunal has backed up the  decision of Victoria’s employer.

'Strained relationships'

Victoria commented: “I conducted all my conversations  with my colleague in a sensitive and appropriate way.  I knew she was from a different faith background and  I was respectful of that. Surely there should be room  for mutual conversations about faith, where appropriate,  in the workplace?   “I am extremely disappointed with the Tribunal’s decision  to side with my employer. There is already an unnatural  caginess around faith and belief which is an obstruction  to building meaningful relationships in the workplace.   “This decision will only perpetuate that, to the detriment  of working relationships in the NHS.” Victoria’s case shows the serious problems with the  ‘equality and diversity’ framework. It is driving people  apart in the workplace, not bringing them together.  These strained relationships mean that work productivity  ultimately suffers as well.

'Forced to hide identity'

Andrea Williams commented, “Are these the kind of  workplaces we want, where people are forced to hide  their identity and the things that matter most to them?  Such an environment is detrimental to meaningful  working relationships and   ultimately to productivity. “With the general election fast approaching, what will  political parties do about the place of Christianity in the  workplace, particularly in the NHS? “The current ‘equality and diversity’ framework is having  the opposite effect to what was intended. It is driving  different people apart, not bringing them together, by  breeding an atmosphere of mistrust in which people  constantly feel as if they are walking on eggshells. “Victoria’s case clearly demonstrates this. What will  our politicians do to restore trust in the workplace?”

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Next steps

We’ve given Victoria expert legal support without  charge and will continue to do so as she appeals  the decision.   Victoria hasn’t done anything wrong and the  decision of the Employment Tribunal should  reflect that. CHRISTIAN CONCERN.   But there’s something even bigger at stake —  the freedom of men and women to be open and  honest about their Christian faith at work.

Will you support us as we help Victoria and  seek Christian freedom in the workplace?