Bosses can reject applicants who support rival football team to existing staff, judge says

Maintaining ‘office harmony’ a valid factor in recruitment decisions, employment tribunal in London rules

There are times when disagreements about football in the workplace cross the line from fun banter to downright rudeness or abuse.

An employment judge has now ruled that people can legally be turned down for a job if they happen to support the rival team followed by existing staff.

Employers are entitled to base recruitment decisions on whether a prospective colleague might “damage office harmony” by not supporting the same team, the employment judge Daniel Wright said.

He ruled that a boss would not be breaking employment law, for example, if they rejected a job application from an avid Tottenham Hotspur supporter because the office was full of Arsenal fans.