The Fair Employment Tribunal awarded £15,618 compensation to Mr Connolly who claimed that a Newtownabbey printing and merchandising firm unlawfully discriminated against him on grounds of religious belief and constructively and unfairly dismissed him.

Mr Connolly’s employers, trading as Oakdene Services, were members of the Brethren community and the claimant believed that during his employment employees who were members of the Brethren community were treated more favourably than him.

In June 2012 Mr Connolly was selected for possible redundancy and, following an unsuccessful grievance procedure and a period of sick leave, he resigned his post in August 2012. The Tribunal held that Mr Connolly’s selection for redundancy was an act of religious discrimination contrary to the Fair Employment and Treatment (NI) Order 1998 and also that the decision, together with the way his grievance procedure was handled, amounted to constructive and Unfair Dismissal. The decision can be found on the tribunal's website under Tribunal Decisions. Search for ‘Oakdene’ under respondent. http://bit.ly/18RSeiQ