Is It ‘SAFE’?: Can an animal rights group discriminate against non-vegans in job applications?
SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation): 'It is our mission to end the exploitation of animals, which is why it is so important that all staff live a vegan lifestyle where they do not contribute to this. We can’t expect people to change their behavior if we don’t lead by example.'
PIERS FULER: Only vegans need apply. This might be a reasonable stipulation if you are choosing a like-minded flatmate, but can you put it on a job description? Animal rights group SAFE makes being “dedicated to a vegan lifestyle” a requirement of those applying for its jobs and not everyone’s happy about it… SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation) has a reputation for its staunch, sometimes confrontational, advocacy of animal rights…
Wellington woman Lily, 23, who did not wish to disclose her surname, wanted to apply for a digital marketing role, but was disappointed not being a vegan ruled her out. “I think it’s a pretty big ask, and sort of irrelevant to the actual position,” she said… In its reply to Lily’s application it was clear about its requirements: “If you are not vegan, thank you for your interest, but we will not be able to proceed with your application.”
SAFE chief executive Debra Ashton said it was their mission to end the exploitation of animals “which is why it is so important that all staff live a vegan lifestyle where they do not contribute to this. “We can’t expect people to change their behaviour if we don’t lead by example”… SAFE said it had not had a problem finding applicants for its employment opportunities…
Employment lawyer Megan Richards said though SAFE’s job stipulation didn’t appear to violate human rights laws, it could be tested on whether it was legitimate restriction to put on a pool of candidates. “That was probably more of a reputational risk, than a legal risk.” Richards said if an organisation’s philosophy was at the core of its policies, then that may be how it justified its position…
But unlike religious beliefs, discrimination based on dietary choices and animal rights views was not protected against under the Human Rights Act… Human rights laws protected people from discrimination on the grounds of their political views, religion, age, sex, and disability. “Whether someone can exclude or not hire someone based on their own beliefs … has not really been tested,” Richards said. A potential employer’s dietary restriction could be challenged if someone could prove they needed a varied diet, including animal products, for disability reasons, she said…
A spokesperson from Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission confirmed that veganism was not a prohibited ground of discrimination under the Act. ”The commission are not aware of any ruling by the courts which outline conditions an employer can require employers to adhere to a particular lifestyle of ethical stance”. SOURCE…
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