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Fast way to keep employees happy in Ramadan

11th September 2007, 2:48pm

Ramadan is set to start towards the end of this week and advise has been issued by law firm DWF on how to keep employees happy during the month of fasting.

Making a few simple changes can be the difference between a harmonious workplace and charges of religious discrimination.

During Ramadan, Muslims go without food or water during hours of daylight across the period of a month. This year the month of fasting takes places between 13^th September and 11^th October.

Eid ul-Fitr is the celebration that takes place after Ramadan.

Jon Keeble, partner with DWF says businesses can take small measures to ensure employees are comfortable and catered for during this important religious act: "Accommodating religious practices does not mean allowing extra time off, but rather being flexible about employees' existing holiday entitlement or break periods. It is good practice to do this and generates goodwill."

Steps employers could take include:

Look at special requests for annual or unpaid leave
Consider flexible working or changing shift rotas to accommodate breaking the fast
Consider allowing extra time off to pray, especially at sunset
Encourage gestures such as sending Eid cards
Avoid organising social events so Muslims do not feel excluded
Consider allowing meal breaks at dusk to coincide with breaking the fast and extending these to non-Muslim employees to encourage integration
Consider staff training on different religious events to raise knowledge around the workplace

Keeble explained how employers should be careful not to discriminate indirectly: "Most employers are aware that discrimination on grounds of religion is against the law – but they should also ask themselves whether they are guilty of indirect discrimination. For example, always scheduling important meetings for dusk when Muslims are due to break their fast could fall into this category."

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