Genuine Occupational Requirements (GORs)
This summary sheet has been developed for parishes, who are wishing to recruit to
a vacancy which may require a genuine occupational requirement (there is a
genuine need for the jobholder to be a practising Christian in order to undertake the
role). This guidance is relevant for PCC employees and volunteers.
What is a GOR?
In very limited circumstances it will be lawful for an employer to treat people
differently if it is a genuine occupational requirement that the job holder must be of a
particular religion or belief. When deciding if this applies, it is necessary to consider
the nature of the work and the context in which it is carried out. Jobs may change
over time and organisations should periodically consider whether the requirement
continues to apply, particularly when recruiting (ACAS Guide on Religion and Belief
in the Workplace).
Implications to think about when applying a GOR
These are the types of questions an employer needs to ask itself before applying a
GOR. This list is not exhaustive, and employers should undertake further research
and obtain further advice if required.
GOR argument is limited to matters which are absolutely necessary in
order to undertake the professional activity in question.
Need to be able to demonstrate and justify the reason for a vacancy
requiring a GOR and relate it to the overall ethos of the organisation.
A central function of the job must reflect the GOR
There are clear links between the Christian purpose and ethos of the
organisation, described in the organisation context section, and the job as
stated in this description
The GOR is clearly featured in the list of the main tasks in the job
description
The knowledge/skills/experience required to carry out the GOR and so
reflect the ethos are clearly stated in the person specification
It is important to remember that (as the ACAS guide makes clear)
employers should consider whether there are alternatives to applying an
occupational requirement. For instance, if only a small part of the job
requires a Christian then it may be possible to redistribute work or re-
organise roles in such a way as to avoid applying a religious requirement
to a particular post. Alternatively it may be sufficient for an employee to
have some awareness/knowledge of the Church rather than active belief.
