Overview

• An employment tribunal ruled in April 2024 that Clifton Diocese discriminated against non-Catholic accountant Janet Parker by launching a “witch hunt” investigation and unfairly dismissing her after she sought flexible working to care for her adopted daughter.
• Parker’s dispute began when her July 2021 request to reduce hours and work from home was denied, leading her to highlight the Catholic Church’s record on adoption in a formal grievance.
• Employment Judge Adam Midgley described the diocese’s disciplinary process as “derisory in its depth, unbalanced and focused on establishing fault” and found it was tainted by negative views of her atheist beliefs.
• After her dismissal in October 2021, Parker sent abusive messages to Chief Operating Officer Lyn Murray, prompting the ICAEW to issue her a caution earlier this year.
• With the diocese’s appeal underway, Parker has yet to receive the compensation ordered by the tribunal, underscoring ongoing tensions over religious discrimination and workplace flexibility in faith-based organisations.