BA stop Jewish worker from observing sabbath by making him work Saturdays
Jan 2, 2008, 5:34 am
#1
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BA stop Jewish worker from observing sabbath by making him work Saturdays
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...ays/article.do
British Airways has been accused of forcing a Jewish employee to work on his religion's holy day of rest.
Customer service agent Daniel Rosenthal claims he was immediately disciplined by the airline when he failed to turn up on a Saturday, observed in Judaism as the Sabbath.
British Airways has been accused of forcing a Jewish employee to work on his religion's holy day of rest.
Customer service agent Daniel Rosenthal claims he was immediately disciplined by the airline when he failed to turn up on a Saturday, observed in Judaism as the Sabbath.
Jan 2, 2008, 6:02 am
#2
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what does he expect? He should find a job that better suits his needs, While I think observing religious holidays should be permitted, if he wants to take every Saturday off then I think he should find a Monday to Friday career.
Jan 2, 2008, 6:05 am
#3
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So many Christians work on Sunday and Muslims on Friday. People should think about refusing work on Fri/Sat or Sunday. How do they think are essential services such as fire department, hospitals staffed and how are they getting water, electricity etc?
Jan 2, 2008, 6:10 am
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If the points in the article are valid, I don't see why BA (or any other employer) should provide someone with time off when the nature of the job requires a person to be physically on the job.
If I applied for a job that requires me to work Tuesdays and Tuesdays are my holy day I would expect to have to work on Tuesdays. It didn't sound like BA tried to surprise him with the need to work on Saturday.
It sounded like BA was accommodating this person as a baggage processor but not when he accepted the position in customer service (where Saturdays are required.)
I will often fly on Saturday and on Sunday and on Tuesday. I would hope that any airline I fly with will have all of the necessary people on the job.
If I applied for a job that requires me to work Tuesdays and Tuesdays are my holy day I would expect to have to work on Tuesdays. It didn't sound like BA tried to surprise him with the need to work on Saturday.
It sounded like BA was accommodating this person as a baggage processor but not when he accepted the position in customer service (where Saturdays are required.)
I will often fly on Saturday and on Sunday and on Tuesday. I would hope that any airline I fly with will have all of the necessary people on the job.
Jan 2, 2008, 6:17 am
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If the points in the article are valid, I don't see why BA (or any other employer) should provide someone with time off when the nature of the job requires a person to be physically on the job.
If I applied for a job that requires me to work Tuesdays and Tuesdays are my holy day I would expect to have to work on Tuesdays. It didn't sound like BA tried to surprise him with the need to work on Saturday.
It sounded like BA was accommodating this person as a baggage processor but not when he accepted the position in customer service (where Saturdays are required.)
I will often fly on Saturday and on Sunday and on Tuesday. I would hope that any airline I fly with will have all of the necessary people on the job.
If I applied for a job that requires me to work Tuesdays and Tuesdays are my holy day I would expect to have to work on Tuesdays. It didn't sound like BA tried to surprise him with the need to work on Saturday.
It sounded like BA was accommodating this person as a baggage processor but not when he accepted the position in customer service (where Saturdays are required.)
I will often fly on Saturday and on Sunday and on Tuesday. I would hope that any airline I fly with will have all of the necessary people on the job.
Jan 2, 2008, 7:36 am
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Jan 2, 2008, 7:58 am
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remember that the jewish sabbath starts friday at sundown
so a worker may need to leave at 2pm in the winter to be home in time
out of all their workers certainly a schedule can be made to accomodate "shomer shabbos" (observant) staff-
saturday sabbath is different than christian sunday sabbaths - due to the proscriptions against work and travel
our friends the (christian) seventh day adventists also observe friday sundown to saturday sundown as the sabbath- and will close a trade show booth so as to not violate their precepts
what works for BA in UK would not be acceptable in the US so perhaps the UK posters have a different take than USA posters
so a worker may need to leave at 2pm in the winter to be home in time
out of all their workers certainly a schedule can be made to accomodate "shomer shabbos" (observant) staff-
saturday sabbath is different than christian sunday sabbaths - due to the proscriptions against work and travel
our friends the (christian) seventh day adventists also observe friday sundown to saturday sundown as the sabbath- and will close a trade show booth so as to not violate their precepts
what works for BA in UK would not be acceptable in the US so perhaps the UK posters have a different take than USA posters
Jan 2, 2008, 8:08 am
#10
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My $0.02 - religious intolerance cannot be a good thing, and it is the employers duty to respect the beliefs of its staff.
However, this has already been debated (rather hotly) on an earlier thread with some comments from several members. That thread is here. I suggest that this one is heading in a similar direction.
-- Mike
However, this has already been debated (rather hotly) on an earlier thread with some comments from several members. That thread is here. I suggest that this one is heading in a similar direction.
-- Mike
Last edited by mee; Jan 2, 2008 at 8:24 am Reason: Edited to add link to prev. thread
Jan 2, 2008, 9:20 am
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Having said that, it is incumbent on the employee to find a job around his religious schedule, not the other way around. It also sounds like he took this job voluntarily.
Mike
Jan 2, 2008, 9:51 am
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Exactly. Practice your religion if you must, but if it interferes with a company's duty to serve it's customers, then that company should have the right to fire you immediately and replace you with someone who can do the job. Why should your religion interfere with my life? If I have to wait longer for service because you are not working, then that is what is happening.
Jan 2, 2008, 11:02 am
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Exactly. Practice your religion if you must, but if it interferes with a company's duty to serve it's customers, then that company should have the right to fire you immediately and replace you with someone who can do the job. Why should your religion interfere with my life? If I have to wait longer for service because you are not working, then that is what is happening.
Jan 2, 2008, 11:35 am
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One would expect an entity the size of BA to be able to accomodate a simple schedule request such as that made by the employee in question. It would surprise me if the individual would not be willing to compromise by working additional Sunday's instead of his scheduled Saturdays and I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find a ramp agent (baggage handler) that consistently wanted Sunday's off but was willing to work Saturdays.
It's a simple issue really but is made complicated by those with scant respect for beliefs that have stood unchanged for millenia.
It's a simple issue really but is made complicated by those with scant respect for beliefs that have stood unchanged for millenia.