Inquiry on Protection of Human Rights at Work

The Workers of England Union have expressed serious concerns regarding the impartiality of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the terminology it uses around “Covid.” For example, Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws referred to NHS staff refusing the “inoculation against Covid.” These experimental Covid vaccines did not prevent infection or transmission and only reduced symptom severity—if they worked at all. At no point did the oral evidence clarify their experimental status or discuss potential adverse effects, despite extensive reports via the government’s Yellow Card system.

Inquiry Overview

The Joint Committee on Human Rights is conducting an inquiry into human rights at work. Its aim is to assess how the universal protections guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) apply within employment settings.

• Freedom of association and the right to strike
• The right to privacy and workplace surveillance
• Labour market exploitation
• Retained EU law and workers’ rights
• International human rights treaties
• Freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and expression at work

Focus on Religion, Belief and Expression

This part of the inquiry examines whether domestic law strikes the right balance between:

• Workers’ Article 9 right to freedom of religion or belief and employers’ operational needs
• Workers’ Article 10 right to freedom of expression and employers’ interests in maintaining workplace standards
• Protection from harassment by third parties based on religion or belief

The Committee will consider if changes to legislation or policy guidance are required to ensure adequate protection for all parties.

Evidence Received

All oral and written submissions are publicly available on the Committee’s website. Key documents include:

• The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s written evidence, asserting that “the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 provide sufficient protection for both those with and without a religion or belief.”
• The transcript of oral evidence from October 2023, which explores Articles 9 and 10 in the context of the workplace.

Next Steps

No formal reports or reform proposals have been issued yet. The Committee continues to gather evidence, and stakeholders are encouraged to submit further written contributions.

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