Time off for Eid

[Deleted User]

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But I don't think that the employee is asking for paid leave off for the holiday and 6 weeks' notice is hardly last minute.

I totally agree with your last comment and think that this sort of knowledge would be part of an employer's equal opportunity policy.

Well, the way I know it works in the Jewish community is this - if you are so religious that you'll need 'all' festivals off (inc every saturday) then you go find work with a 'Jewish' firm that closes during these times. Technically, Jewish doctors can work any time they want since 'saving a life' is the highest 'mitvah' (good deed/commandment) there is.

I do believe these things are your own choice (sometimes I will not take the holidays off if work is too busy). You can't expect an employer to pander to your every religious request

anamenottaken

ceridwen wrote: »

I think "pre booked" and "pre-arranged" was a quite clear way of asking for the information required..

Some people can be very literal in their interpretation of questions being asked.

The OP asked the candidate/employee whether he had pre-booked or pre-arranged holidays. At that time the holiday now being requested was not in the category of "booked/arranged".

A better question might have been to add "or other time which you expect to need to take at a particular time during the year ".

Apples has also mentioned that the employee was surprised at the effect his comment had had. Perhaps the subtleties of language are not his strong point.

scheming_gypsy

Probably a double edged discrimination sword that one. If you force them to do a desk job you're saying they're not capable of doing their job etc etc so it'd be up to the individual if they want to do it.

ceridwen

Jarndyce wrote: »

I'll play nicely when people stop posting bigoted, nationalist and disrespectful comments. Until then I will challenge that attitude wherever it raises its head.

I won't hold my breath waiting for the apology you owe me then...as I'm guessing I'm one of the people you are (wrongly in my case) referring to as a bigot.

I can live with someone calling me something that I - and everyone who knows me ITRW - knows is far from true.:) I wouldnt have got WELL into middle age never once having been called that ITRW I'm sure if I HAD actually been one:)



Do keep wearing those "righteous indignation" blinkers though - even when they arent appropriate. I would hate to deprive you of a hobby of yours...

sharnad

jenhug wrote: »

each eid is only 1 day, so I don't see why they need 3 days, although the first eid can be up to 3 days, as this is after the fasting.
I found my info on http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/eid-al-fitr

Nov 7 2011 is the next one, lasting 1 day.

Eid-al-Adha is not a bank holiday in the UK. Mosques are likely to be busy and this may lead to some traffic congestion. Some Muslims choose to take one or more days of annual leave at this time.

Eid Al Adha lasts three days

snowqueen555

Regardless of what is right or wrong, the most convenient solution is to give the holiday to him, as not giving it to him will probably cause more strife in the long run

hardpressed

A fair way of alloting holidays is
Year 1 longest serving member gets first choice as per your system.
Year 2 2nd longest " "
Year 3 3rd longest " "
And so on.
Six members of staff means every 6th year each person gets first choice.
I worked in an office where there were 6 others, because of the nature of our work only one member of staff could have holiday at one time, We'd just say to each other, 'I'd like the first week of July off, has anyone else got anything else planned?" If we'd booked a week off and weren't going away and then somebody else wanted to go away that week, if we could we'd swap, kept everyone happy.

System

As a former employee ( and occasionally employer) my view is that since we live in a multi cultural society, it is not unreasonable to expect an employer to take into account that someone 'might' have different expectations of when and if they would be given time off for religious observance...that would have applied (and did) if a Christian did not feel comfortable working Good Friday for example, or Sundays.

Yes it would have been better if the employee in this case had mentioned it in advance...but even so, if the employee is an asset to the firm in all other ways I personally would do everything I could to accomodate his request. Generally speaking what you give out to your employees you get back in good work and commitment.

ceridwen

Well - my suggestion FWIW re holiday allocation method in a small firm would be the "who draws the short straw" method.

In effect - pick something/anything - it doesnt matter what. Could be straws, could be plastic tokens, anything that will serve the purpose.

Write on these tokens (assuming thats what is used) numbers from, say, 1-10 if one has 10 employees for instance. Then put all tokens in a hat and have a 5 minute meeting at the start of each leave year where - in front of all the employees - you draw the numbers out of a hat (having previously allocated each employee a number - or it could be their initials instead). First number/set of initials/whatever that is drawn out of the hat gets first pick, second number/set of initials gets second pick and so on.

Go round 2/3 times to allow for all 5?/6? holiday weeks and there ya' go - its been left to Fate to decide who gets the first choices. Cant come any more impartial than that:)