Freedom of conscience in private companies
Résumé
The traditional field for conscientious objection is not in a company or in the workplace but more in the area of the handling of weapons and military action. Religious conflicts in companies are increasing, thus presenting many businesses with problems. A private company is therefore no longer merely a place where goods and services are produced, in which the law governs labour relations in such a way as to protect the interests of companies and the rights of employees. The negative protection available to them against discrimination in recruitment or dismissal and in the exercise of their profession can also be considered as facilitating requests for an accommodation to be made in their working arrangements. The conscience war has shifted to another field, that of profit. The relaxation of economic justifications is in contradiction with the requirement of fundamental rights and the principle of non-discrimination cannot be circumvented by the need to adapt to the discriminatory prejudices of customers.