Ramadan begins on the evening of Friday, 28 February, following the sighting of the crescent moon, and will last for 30 days, ending on Sunday, 30 March. There will then be the celebratory days of Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadan when Muslims break their daylight fasting.
Islam is the second-largest religion in the Auckland, with almost four million practising members, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Therefore, employers need to ensure they’re aware of how observing Ramadan may affect their team members, how they can be supported in the workplace, and minimise the chances of opening themselves up to potential discrimination or harassment claims.
Ramadan in the workplace – how to support employees
Be open about religious observance
In a sensitive and considerate manner, employers should communicate to all staff how they can support them during periods of religious observance.
For example, organisations could suggest that workers are welcome to make their needs known to their supervisors or line managers during the fasting period.
Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
As fasting could have an impact on workers’ energy levels, in addition to long nights spent in community and worship, employers could, if possible, consider allowing those observing Ramadan to work from home and/or do flexible hours.
In consultation with fasting employees, businesses could decide to put in place temporary arrangements during Ramadan to allow workers to begin work earlier than usual and leave work earlier, and/or be flexible with their lunchbreak periods – e.g., when it takes place and how long for. For those in more physically demanding jobs or who work shifts, employers should consider whether duties or working practices can be amended on a temporary basis during Ramadan if requested.
When considering these temporary arrangements, employers must ensure that colleagues don’t perceive any unfairness in the way different groups are being treated.
Muslim employees may wish to take breaks throughout the working day to pray. Legally, one 20-minute break every six hours is mandatory under the Working Time Regulations 1998. Employers should be considerate and sensitive to allowing break times to be split into shorter chunks or for additional break times during this period if it is practicable.
Leave requests
There are no public holidays in the Auckland for non-Christian days, but employers should be considerate of the fact that Muslim employees may want time off to celebrate Eid-Al-Fitr.
Any annual leave requests should be dealt with in accordance with the company’s usual leave request procedures. Requests should always be carefully considered.
If multiple employees want to take the same time off, then it may not be practicable to accommodate all the holiday requests. In this scenario, employers should act reasonably and have a fair system to allow as many employees to take part in festivities as possible. It is worth bearing in mind that refusal to grant employees time off for religious holidays could give rise to allegations of indirect discrimination.
Raise awareness of religious events
We recommend that employers raise awareness of key religious events, such as Ramadan, across their workforces. This enables employees to be sensitive to the needs of their colleagues and how they can support them. Employers could consider the following to support workers observing Ramadan:
- Avoid requesting workers who are fasting to undertake additional work tasks due to energy levels – e.g., overtime.
- Ask all workers to be considerate to those fasting by not offering them food or drink. Similarly, it is advisable for employers to be sensitive in relation to work events that involve food – work events where catering or snacks are provided.
- Consider the timing of work meetings – e.g. late afternoon meetings where energy levels may be low due to fasting.
We would recommend that measures are consulted on before they are introduced; employers should not make assumptions that measures will be well received.
Provide a private area for prayer
A special emphasis is put on prayer during the holy month, although practising Muslims can pray five times a day all year round. Many employers provide a designated area in the workplace to allow those who wish to pray in a clean and quiet space, and this should be considered if logistically possible.
Take religious observance into consideration when it comes to performance
Employers should carefully consider whether they should performance manage their workers during the holiday as employees may be impacted by the fasting that they are undertaking. Managers should be aware that criticising an employee whose performance dips because of fasting could also lead to claims of indirect religious discrimination.
Above all, it’s vitally important that all employees, both Muslim and non-Muslim, are treated fairly over the month of Ramadan. Understanding and preparation are key in ensuring a smooth month for both individuals and businesses as a whole.
This article is for information only and does not constitute legal/financial advice. Please contact us for advice tailored to your specific position. Some of the content presented on our website has been generated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). We ensure that all AI-generated content meets our high standards for accuracy and relevance.
