Royal Mail Group Ltd (Respondent) v Efobi (Appellant)
Case ID: UKSC 2019/0068
Case summary
Issue
In a claim for discrimination contrary to the Equality Act 2010, which party bears the burden of proving that discrimination has or has not occurred?
Facts
The appellant, Mr Efobi, is a black Nigerian and a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. He has graduate and postgraduate qualifications in information systems. From August 2013, he was employed by the respondent, Royal Mail Group Ltd ("RMG"). He worked as a postman in the operational department but wanted to be employed in the management/IT service area. He applied for many posts but was unsuccessful. He brought proceedings in the Employment Tribunal ("ET") for harassment, victimisation, and direct and indirect race discrimination in relation to his failure to obtain 22 of these posts.
The ET rejected his claims of discrimination, but his harassment and victimisation claims succeeded in part. Mr Efobi successfully appealed the ET’s discrimination findings in the Employment Appeal Tribunal ("EAT"). The EAT concluded that the ET had erred in its approach to the burden of proof. RMG successfully appealed the EAT’s decision to the Court of Appeal. Mr Efobi now appeals to the Supreme Court.
Judgment appealed
Parties
Appellant(s)
Efobi
Respondent(s)
Royal Mail Group Ltd
Appeal
Justices
Lord Hodge, Lord Briggs, Lady Arden, Lord Hamblen, Lord Leggatt
Hearing start date
27 Apr 2021
Hearing finish date
27 Apr 2021
| Watch hearing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 27 April 2021 | Morning session | Afternoon session |
Judgment details
Judgment date
23 July 2021
Neutral citation
[2021] UKSC 33
| Watch Judgment summary | |
|---|---|
| 23 July 2021 | Judgment summary |