Sexual orientation is not a reason to terminate a contract with a self-employed worker, says Advocate General of the CJEU

Today, the Advocate General of the CJEU has issued an opinion in the case of J.K. vs the Polish public broadcaster company TP, stating that discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment is not acceptable under EU law.

ILGA-Europe welcomes the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union’s (CJEU) opinion, published today in the case C-356/21, concerning the refusal to continue a contract of work with a self-employed person on the basis of that person’s sexual orientation violates EU law.

The applicant, J.K., is seeking compensation from the Polish public broadcaster TP for the breach of the principle of equal treatment on the grounds of sexual orientation in the form of direct discrimination in the context of the employment relationship between the two parties. J.K is openly a member of LGBTI community, and together with his partner, he engages in the activism for LGBTIQ+ rights, including running a popular YouTube Channel.

The Defendant is the Polish public broadcaster TP, a nationwide public TV network fully owned by the State Treasury. During 2010 – 2017, the employment relationship between the Applicant and the Defendant was based on regularly concluded, consecutive short-term contracts for specific work.

In December 2017, the Applicant and his partner released a Christmas video on their YouTube Channel, where they appeared among other members of the LGBTIQ+ community. Two days after the video was posted, the Applicant received an e-mail from his immediate supervisor cancelling his scheduled shifts. He was also informed that the Defendant was not planning to cooperate with the Applicant any longer. He was replaced by another employee, who had neither the qualifications nor the experience to perform the tasks previously performed by the Applicant.

In her opinion the Advocate General firstly confirmed that self-employment is covered under the Directive and by covering the area of ‘employment and occupation’, the “Directive aims at enabling citizens to realise their potential and earn their living by providing their work”. Furthermore, in addressing the issue concerning “conditions for access to self-employment”, the AG suggests that the Directive covers both initial stage of concluding a contract, but also the provision relating to the termination of contractual relationship.  At all stages, discrimination based on sexual orientation is not acceptable.

According to Arpi Avetisyan, Head of Litigation with ILGA-Europe: “Advocate General Capeta’s opinion is a welcome confirmation that discrimination based on sexual orientation has no place under the EU Directive, including for self-employed workers. We hope the Court will follow the Advocate General’s opinion and build on it so that EU law in this area protects self-employed workers ensuring equal access to employment.  Freedom to choose a contracting party does not imply freedom to discriminate.”  

Read here the Advocate General opinion

See also

Report

Our submission to the EC 2024 Rule of Law report

Over the past few years it has become increasingly clear that many government-led violations of LGBTI rights in EU Member States go hand-in-hand with an […]
read more
Blog

Did you know that acceptance of LGBTI people is stronger than ever across the EU?

Published last month, the latest Eurobarometer report, charting public opinion in the European Union, shows acceptance of LGBTI people is clearly on the rise across […]
read more
News

Poland must ensure that same-sex couples are legally recognised, European Court rules

The European Court of Human Rights has issued a judgement against Poland in a case taken by five same-sex couples in the country, seeking to […]
read more
News

Significant European Court judgments in two cases concerning violence against LGBTI people involving state agents

Two successful European Court cases brought against Russia underline state obligations to protect LGBTI community from violent counter demonstrators and general hate motivated violence.
read more
News

Romania failed to protect same-sex couples, European court rules

European court has found that Romania breached the right to respect for the family life of 21 same-sex Romanian couples by failing to recognise their relationships.
read more
News

Bringing change in turbulent times: A call for applications for LGBTI groups in Poland

What is this programme about and why are we launching it? ILGA-Europe invites applications from LGBTI organisations and groups in Poland that see a concrete […]
read more
Blog

The infringement against Hungary: Behind the scenes

As the deadline for member states to decide whether they will join the European Commission’s lawsuit against Hungary for its introduction of anti-LGBTI legislation fast approaches, we look at the vital work ILGA-Europe has been doing behind the scenes to bring this case before the EU Court of Justice and to bring countries on board.
read more
Press Release

Romanian transgender man’s landmark case requesting that Romania acknowledges his UK gender recognition referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union

Arian Mirzarafie-Ahi, a transgender man with Romanian and British citizenship, has filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit in Romania against Romanian authorities over their refusal to recognize […]
read more
News

After Polish Case, CJEU Rules to Protect Self-employed Workers based on Sexual Orientation

In December 2017, a self-employed worker and his partner published a music video on YouTube aimed at promoting tolerance towards same-sex couples. Shortly after the […]
read more
Podcast

The Frontline: The World Cup Rainbow Divide

The big story at the beginning of the World Cup 2022 centred on FIFA banning all players on European teams from wearing the ‘One Love’ […]
read more
Press Release

LGBTI organisations welcome EU parental recognition proposal with the best interests of the child at its core

EU-wide parenthood recognition is key in ensuring equal protection for all children in the Union, say ILGA-Europe and NELFA.
read more
Blog

#BiVisibilityDay 2022: Discrimination and bi people at the intersections

In our analysis of the data from the largest LGBTI survey carried in Europe, we’ve found that bi people, particularly those with intersecting identities, experience discrimination in large numbers.
read more
Blog

Update: The Rights of Rainbow Families in the EU

The Court of Justice of the EU has ruled in two occasions over recent months that EU countries must protect the freedom of movement of rainbow families. This is a right all EU citizens should enjoy, LGBTI people too. In today’s blog, we bring you the state of LGBTI people’s family rights in different EU countries.
read more
News

Rainbow families have the right to move and reside freely, EU court reiterates

The Court of Justice of the EU has stated that birth certificates issued in an EU country must be recognised across the EU, and that EU countries should protect the freedom of movement of rainbow families.
read more
News

Hungary to be Brought Before Top EU Court For its Ban on LGBTI Content

The European Commission has referred Hungary to the CJEU over discriminatory amendments adopted in June 2021, which ban the “portrayal and the promotion of gender […]
read more
News

Polish public broadcaster TP in EU Court for Discrimination Against Self-employed LGBTI Person

Today, the case of J.K. vs the Polish public broadcasting company TP, in which the applicant is seeking compensation for the discontinuation of his freelance […]
read more
Case Law

A.B. and K.V. v Romania

Recognition of same-sex marriages in the context of freedom of movement in the EU through the prism of implementation of CJEU’s Coman judgment Submitted jointly […]
read more
News

European Commission and Council should refrain from approving recovery funds to the governments of Poland and Hungary

An Urgent call on the European Commission and the Council of europe to refrain from approving recovery funds to the governments of Poland and Hungary, […]
read more
News

EU Ministers must act on the serious breach of EU’s rule of law and values in Poland

While Poland keeps attacking LGBTI people and their rights, ILGA-Europe have signed a joint letter along with 86 other NGOs asking EU Ministers to take action.
read more
Blog

How Baby Sara and her mums have pushed forward the rights of all rainbow families across the EU

When an EU country recognises a child and its same-sex parents as a family, all EU countries should recognise them as such, so to guarantee their freedom of movement. This is what the EU’s top court ruled in December. But how this case has advanced LGBTI rights in the European Union and what comes next for rainbow families?
read more
Case Law

Macaté v. Lithuania

Freedom of expression, warning labels restricting artistic expression.
read more
Podcast

Hope and the LGBTI Movement in 2021

It was a year of further lockdowns, of new strains of the COVID virus, and the uncertainty they have brought, and most of all, enormous […]
read more
Blog

What has 2021 meant to the LGBTI movement in Europe? Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out this year’s highlights

As 2021 comes to an end, we have collected some of the moments, events and trends that have marked the year in the latest episode of The Frontline, ILGA-Europe’s podcast about LGBTI activism and lives in Europe and Central Asia. Read here some of the episode’s highlights and find out reasons to stay hopeful in 2022.
read more
Blog

Alarming new research shows how LGBTI people are affected every day by inequality

Recent data shows that LGBTI young people perceive the labour market with fear and that most of LGBTI youth living with their families have experienced violence in different parts of Europe. These are among the alarming facts related to the impact of inequality and oppression in LGBTI communities, as identified through ILGA-Europe’s No One Left Behind initiative.
read more
Press Release

Top EU Court Recognises Relationship of Same-sex Parents and their Children Under EU Law

In a landmark judgement, the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that a child and its same-sex parents must be recognised as […]
read more
Case Law

Coman and Others v Romania

Recognition of same-sex marriages in the context of freedom of movement in the EU through the prism of implementation of CJEU’s Coman judgment.
read more
Blog

How trans parents are better protected after European Court ruling

Recently, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of a trans woman in Russia who was denied access to her children because of her gender identity and transition. Read on to find out how this may benefit all trans and LGBTI parents in Europe.
read more
Report

Poland Anti-LGBTI Hate Timeline

Over the past number of years, LGBTI people have come under increasing attack from ruling politicians, religious leaders and other public figures in Poland. This […]
read more
News

European Court rules in favour of the best interest of the child in same-sex custody case

The European Court of Human rights has ruled that the refusing a mother custody of her youngest child on the grounds of her sexual orientation to be discriminatory and a violation of her right to private and family life.
read more
Blog

Where are my rights? These essential maps chart the recognition of LGBTI people across the globe

Every year, ILGA-Europe publishes our Rainbow Map, charting LGBTI rights in 49 European countries. But we’re not the only benchmarking map on the scene. From sexual orientation laws in the world to inclusive churches in Europe, these charts depict the state of LGBTI rights and more across the world.
read more