Recommendations for a non-discriminating policy on the admission to pubs and restaurants
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In recent years several incidents of denied admission to bars and restaurants were reported to NGOs or brought before the Equal Treamtent Commission. Persons are baned from or refused access to bars and/or restaurants on grounds of ethnic origin, colour of skin and/or gender. Therefore ZARA, the Ombud for Equal Treatment and the Litigation Association launched an initiative to draft recommendations for a non-discriminating policy on the admission to pubs and restaurants. Owners of pubs and restaurants, unions and organisations dealing with the restaurant industry are called on to actively implement the Equal Treatment Act and to ensure with the help of the recommendations that persons are granted equal access to pubs and restaurants. In addition a draft of house rules containing criteria for a transparent policy on admission to restaurants and pubs was worked out.
The recommendations contain, amongst others, the following items:
- Restaurants and pubs should adopt house rules laying down transparent criteria for admission their premises (as proposed in addition to the recommendations). The house rules have to be implemented completely.
- Denying admisson to or banning person from restaurants or pubs has to be based on the grounds stipulated by the house rules. Reason for the refusal or ban should be communicated clearly and comprehensively.
- Restaurants or pubs should have a contact person responsible for the revision of the denial or ban.
- In case a person feels that s/he has been discriminated against because of an unjustified refusal of admission to a bar or restaurant, the person has to be informed, that s/he can seek counseling and support with the Ombud for Equal Treatment or the anti-racism NGO ZARA.
Source: ZARA, 31.05.2011, http://www.zara.or.at/index.php/archiv/4437#more-4437, Date of Access: 21.02.2012
