Eweida and others v United Kingdom (App. Nos. 48420/10, 59842/10, 51671/10 & 36516/10)
European Court of Human Rights, Judge Thor Bjorgvinsson (president), Judges Bratza, Garlicki, Hirvela, Kalaydjeva, Vucinic and Gaetano, & L Early (section registrar), 4 September & 11 December 2012, 15 February 2013
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has reviewed the application of the right to manifest one’s religion under Art 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights in an employment context. As a general approach, where an individual complains of a restriction on freedom of religion in the workplace, rather than holding that the possibility of changing job would negate any interference with that right, the better approach is to weigh that possibility in the overall balance when considering whether or not the restriction was proportionate. The court has also stressed the margin of appreciation to be afforded to member states in carrying out that balancing exercise, when finding in favour of one applicant who had been precluded from wearing a cross at work, but not in favour of a second
