not working sunday for religious reasons- looking to change job- help needed

split_second

hi all, hope someone can help me?

I've been working at my current job for 5 years, not unemployed, just looking for a new oppurtunity.

I attend church every sunday with my fiance, been looking at internal vacancies in other departments, been told that not being prepared to work sundays will limit the internal vacancies i can be classed as suitable for.

am i right in thinking that needing a sunday off for religious reasons is a reasonable request and if i cant have that accomodated i am best sticking where i am until something suitable comes up?

InsideInsurance

You aren't prepared to work a day of the week, the reasons for it are fairly immaterial in my opinion.

If you aren't willing to be flexible on it then you do need to be up front about it not being a flexible thing and stick it out til you find something that will work for you. At the same time if a department needs someone who can do Sundays it is perfectly reasonable for them to reject your application on the basis of you being unwilling to work it.

We ultimately have to balance our work and outside of work commitments and what one person is willing to sacrifice can be very different from the next person.

Uncertain

I think it is only shop workers who can opt out....

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10028516

split_second

oh well guess i will have to be prepared to search possibly a bit longer, didnt think it was totally unreasonable personally but thats just my opinion

split_second

Uncertain wrote: »

I think it is only shop workers who can opt out....

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10028516

i remember that from my shop working days, i left retail a while back

Uncertain

split_second wrote: »

oh well guess i will have to be prepared to search possibly a bit longer, didnt think it was totally unreasonable personally but thats just my opinion

We could debate that one!

What would happen, say, if all doctors and nurses or air traffic controllers refused to work on a Sunday?

InsideInsurance

It's not "unreasonable" to say you dont want to work Sundays just as it isn't unreasonable that my wife doesnt want to work weekends or evenings because its the time we get to spend together as a family or my former colleague who didn't want to work weekday mornings as it avoided peak time travel costs.

You all just need to find a job that can fit with your desired shift patterns. Just because something is reasonable doesn't mean a company has to accommodate it.

Reverbe

split dont some churches have evening services you can attend??

j.e.j.

IMO it depends what line of work you're in as to whether having Sundays off for religious/spiritual reasons would be reasonable or acceptable. Eg someone who worked as an emergency medic is bound to be needed on Sunday much as any other day of the week but someone in a clerical role not so.

But then I happen to be in the minority of people who also believe Sundays should be the one day of the week when the shops etc close, as it used to be, and still is in many European countries!

bevanuk

Don't some people get to stop working about 4 times during the day and pray?

DCFC79

Surely theres an evening mass in the week or on a saturday night, arent you limiting your chances though by not wanting to work sundays.