Time off for Religious festivals

Ramadan is coming to an end and that means a celebration. Eid al-Fitr - usually just called Eid - is the festival marking the end of the daily fast that takes place through Ramadan. Months in the Islamic calendar are based on sightings of the moon and so the date of Eid for 2018 isn’t yet confirmed but is expected to be on 15^th June. As an employer, you may have noticed an increase in holiday requests for Eid. Employees may wish to take time off during holy days and festivals for a number of reasons. Attendance at their place of worship is a common request, but there may also be requests for private prayer and meditation, charity work and for extra rest. Employers are under no legal obligation to grant a religious-based request for time off. However, it is not only good practice to accommodate as many of these requests as can be balanced against the requirements of running a business, but it is also important to ensure that such requests are handled in a tactful and consistent manner. Also, whilst showing some consideration to a religious group during holy days and festivals can be beneficial, it is also important not to disproportionately favour that group to the disadvantage of colleagues with different (or no) religious beliefs. It is generally unadvisable to offer paid special leave for such time off requests because an employer needs to ensure they do not discriminate in favour of a particular religion. However, employers should consider the fact that requests may, depending on the individual circumstances involved, be dealt with by using:

• annual leave entitlement
• flexi-time arrangements
• one-off/discretionary flexi time off to be made up at a later time
• unpaid leave

The chosen option will need to be agreed between the employer and employee. Employers and employees who discuss and plan requests in good time are likely to minimise the impact (if any) of such requests.