Sunday working and new job

Naf

I'm just about to start a new job, but as its through a friend I was never sure if I had a official 'interview' as such until yesterday they just said 'Welcome Aboard'. As such there has never been any discussion about working hours (or rates of pay, but that's Ok for now). I am a Christian and so do not agree with spending the Sabbath at work (any part of it). Am I too late to bring this up as more than a discussion point and request it. Can I still say to them 'by the way, I don't work Sundays'? And if they then decided to take the job offer away, would I have claim on religious discrimination?
I have had it suggested to me before that if they don't ask in interview or on application form then they have to work around it, having already acknowledged based on everything else that you're the candidate they want; the only reason to do a u-turn at that point would be religion, and that constitutes discrimination. However, it may have only been my dad who suggested that a few years ago so I don't know if its entirely correct; although seems reasonable to me.
Any ideas?

emmaanddave

Unless the job clearly states it involves Sunday working then there is no need to mention it. What type of job have you gone for? I would however not go for a job that states Sunday working if you have no intention of being able to commit to those hours.

InsideInsurance

Given different sects of christianity differ on what day of the week that the Sabbath is surely you can ensure there is a single day you dont work and do the necessary then?

That a side, if you have not yet signed a contract then any commitment is fairly limited on both sides. Technically verbal contracts are as binding as written ones but given the difficulty in proving exactly what was said by all parties it really is worth the paper its written on.

Ultimately it is something better to get out in the open earlier rather than later as it will be difficult to deal with than if you start and then shortly afterwards you get your contract and it states you must be available for work 7 days a week

GavB79

Presumably your place of work operates on Sundays or you wouldn't have started the thread. Your beliefs are therefore unlikely to fit in with the business needs of your employer so don't expect to be there long, they are unlikely to dismiss you and say 'because you're a Christian' but they could easily just say it's not working out, time to go your separate ways. How do they know you're the candidate they want if you never even had an interview??
If I were you, I'd pray that a 9-5 Mon-Fri turns up.

bluenoseam

If they do rota you for a Sunday don't expect to be working there long, they don't need a reason to sack you.

Middy

If you are that bothered, there are many employers that don't operate on Sundays. I work Sundays as I used to hate them as a kid as I got bored.

eschaton

Naf wrote: »

I'm just about to start a new job, but as its through a friend I was never sure if I had a official 'interview' as such until yesterday they just said 'Welcome Aboard'. As such there has never been any discussion about working hours (or rates of pay, but that's Ok for now). I am a Christian and so do not agree with spending the Sabbath at work (any part of it). Am I too late to bring this up as more than a discussion point and request it. Can I still say to them 'by the way, I don't work Sundays'? And if they then decided to take the job offer away, would I have claim on religious discrimination?
I have had it suggested to me before that if they don't ask in interview or on application form then they have to work around it, having already acknowledged based on everything else that you're the candidate they want; the only reason to do a u-turn at that point would be religion, and that constitutes discrimination. However, it may have only been my dad who suggested that a few years ago so I don't know if its entirely correct; although seems reasonable to me.
Any ideas?

I bet your friend will quickly regret recommending you for a job.

scheming_gypsy

Naf wrote: »

. I am a Christian and so do not agree with spending the Sabbath at work (any part of it).

if vicars work on Sunday, why shouldn't you


Although if you can't work the offered shifts then it's probably not religious discrimination, its because you can't cover the shift they're employing for.

Hammyman

Naf wrote: »

And if they then decided to take the job offer away, would I have claim on religious discrimination?

No. Nice to see you're part of the compensation culture. How does that fit in with what the bible says?

bluenoseam

Well Hammy i'm real rusty on theology, but i don't remember anything added to "remember the sabbath & keep it holy" along the lines of "if it is not so, seek recompense"

I opted out of working Sundays when i went "full time" but only because it meant i got 2 days off a week every week, nothing to do with my belief in God, more my belief that working 6 days every 3 weeks would eventually catch up with me!

paddedjohn

Your beliefs wont put food on the table (unless you believe some of the fairy stories about bread and fish) but working when you are asked will.;)