Ben* is a Christian and drives a taxi for a cab company in NSW. Ben sometimes talks about Christianity and religion with passengers when the topic comes up in conversation. Ben’s employer prohibited him from talking about his faith with passengers after an anonymous complaint was made to the cab company.
No-one had ever made a complaint about Ben before. Ben only shared his faith with passengers if they wanted to listen and would never force anyone into a conversation about religion or politics. Ben’s manager told him that he couldn’t talk about religion or politics with his passengers anymore, even though sports, entertainment and culture were not off limits.
Ben wants to share his faith with people who are happy to listen, but he is concerned that if he speaks freely, he will lose his job. Ben’s story is a good example of the steady encroachment of employers into the free speech of their employees.
