Church accountant discriminated in opposition to by means of diocese in Bristol for being non-Catholic

A church accountant effectively sued a Catholic diocese after she was once subjected to non secular discrimination, it has emerged.

Janet Parker, 55, fell out together with her boss after she requested for go away to handle her newly followed daughter in 2020.

However, the next 12 months, when her request for versatile running was once refused, she complained, looking at that “the Catholic church does not have a blemish-free history when it comes to adopted children or children in care”.

“I hoped that this kind of prejudice had been eradicated long ago,” she mentioned. “Maybe I am wrong.”

After this Parker claimed to were subjected to a “witch-hunt” by means of managers on the Clifton diocese in Bristol for alleged skilled negligence which resulted in her being sacked from her £60,000-a-year position.

In April closing 12 months, she received claims in opposition to the diocese after a tribunal dominated the church organisation had discriminated in opposition to her, pressured her after which unfairly sacked her as a result of she was once now not non secular.

The main points of the judgment emerged at a disciplinary listening to held in March this 12 months and performed by means of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW) into abusive messages Parker allegedly despatched to the diocese leader running officer, Lyn Murray, after her dismissal. The ICAEW has issued her with a warning over the abusive messages.

Parker had claimed the diocese’s way to her versatile running request was once “tainted by negative views of adoption, emanating from the religious beliefs of its staff”.

The employment pass judgement on Adam Midgley mentioned that the way in which the diocese had treated the disciplinary procedure intended that Parker – as a non Catholic – were religiously discriminated in opposition to.

“[She] has argued that from the moment she challenged the [diocese], particularly from the point at which she referenced the Catholic church’s treatment of vulnerable children, her card was marked, and [it] closed ranks to protect itself and dismiss her.”

He described the investigation that resulted in her dismissal as showing like a “witch-hunt” and mentioned it was once “derisory in its depth, unbalanced and focused on establishing fault”.

The tribunal judgment mentioned Parker was once discriminated in opposition to for being a “non-Catholic”.

When requested by means of journalists about her non secular background, Parker mentioned she was once “atheist, always have been”.

Parker has but to obtain reimbursement because the diocese is known to have introduced an attraction.

The Clifton diocese declined to remark.