Q: I need to have Sundays off work, as I am a Jehovah's witness and need to attend meetings. Can my employer refuse me this time?
Sep 21 2007
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It can be unlawful discrimination to insist that you work on a Sunday if it is against your faith unless the employer can show that the rule served an unavoidable business need.
The Citizens Advice Bureau have a useful guide on this subject.
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/e_unfair_treatment_at_work_-_religion.pdf
This is the sort of issue that could be brought to management's attention via the grievance procedure and if so, your employer would be well advised to find a compromise if at all possible.
Alternatively, if you don’t have any joy with that route, you could complete a religion and belief questionnaire and send it to your employer for them to answer your questions. This is an important step before launching a tribunal action but if you can resolve it through the grievance process it would be far quicker and less confrontational.
This is the link to download the questionnaire. http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file25462.pdf
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