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A. Ramdan is a holy month in the Islamic calendar, and it is marked by followers of this faith in various ways, including fasting during daylight hours. Some Muslims will completely abstain from all food and drink during the fasting period, whereas others may take a different approach.
There is also a tradition of breaking their fast with a family meal, along with prayers. This can have a significant impact on an employee’s performance and availability for work. It’s recommended to plan ahead how the business will accommodate employees participating in Ramadan.
Discuss and agree plans with affected staff
If the employee is intending to fast or take time off during Ramadan this needs to be discussed. Whilst your client does not have to agree to any changes in terms of scheduling or breaks, if they are able to do so then they should strongly consider allowing them in order to allow their employee to practise their faith, ensure good employee relations, and avoid any allegations of discrimination.
Any changes that are agreed need to be communicated to the employee’s colleagues as they will be affected it by it through the accommodations your client agrees. For example, they may be asked to take on additional or other duties, to pick up over time or to make some other change to ensure the work is done. Talking to them first about this and getting their agreement will allow your client to smooth over any issues.
Flexible working
Given the physical demands of fasting, especially as the days get longer and the window of fasting increases (as it takes place between sunrise and sundown) the employee may require adjustments to their working routine during Ramadan. This could include altering shift patterns, changing start and finish times (moving the day forward may help), or amending duties to reduce fatigue impacting performance or increasing risk of injury.
Fasting can affect each person differently and as such decisions should be on an individual basis, rather than a “one size fits all” approach. Before any decisions are made, the situation should be discussed with the employee and their line manager so that the best solution can be found.
Annual leave
Your employee may ask to take annual leave during Ramadan, or for the Eid celebrations after. It is important to be consistent with the normal rules for holiday booking, but there may be exceptions needed for last minute requests or should a number of employees want the same time off.
Policy
Given the importance of Ramadan to Muslim employees, it is a good idea for your client to highlight their approach in a religious observance policy, giving individuals a source of information on their rights at work during this time. Any policy will need to be inclusive, giving equal footing to all religions.
