Germany: Au Pair Platform Admits Religious Discrimination against Christian Father
An au pair platform based in Germany acknowledged religious discrimination in a court settlement after blocking an Italian father’s profile over his Christian convictions. The agreement, formalised on 10 September 2026, also expressly recognised parents’ right to raise their children according to their religious beliefs.
On 10 September 2026, an international au pair platform based in Germany acknowledged that it had discriminated against a Christian father and violated his religious freedom. The settlement was formalised before the Landgericht Kassel (Kassel Regional Court), concluding proceedings brought after the company blocked his profile because of his religious convictions.
The father, who lives in Naples, had used the platform to find an au pair for his child. He explained that the person should support his child’s upbringing in accordance with the Christian faith and should not endorse homosexual practice. The platform considered these conditions discriminatory and deactivated his profile, excluding him from its service.
A company letter dated 14 December 2020 addressed the blocking of the profile. The father filed his initial legal claim on 26 November 2021. The dispute subsequently reached the Kassel Regional Court under Case No. 10 S 98/24, ending in a settlement nearly five years after proceedings began.
According to the Radio Horeb, the platform expressly acknowledged that the exclusion constituted religious discrimination and infringed the father’s religious freedom. It also recognised parents’ right to educate their children according to their religious convictions.
The father expressed relief following the agreement. As reported by Radio Horeb, he said he did not want to have to hide his faith or the way of life arising from it, “especially when it comes to raising our children”.
His lawyer described the acknowledgement of discrimination as an encouraging sign for Christians wishing to speak openly about their faith online. He stressed that parents have the right to raise their children according to their beliefs and that private platforms cannot override that right.
Source: PRO, kath.net, Information provided to OIDAC Europe.
Image: Juliane Liebermann on Unsplash