London - Warming up your sausage roll in the office microwave may cause offence, British workers are being warned.
Doing so could seriously upset colleagues whose religious beliefs prohibit them from eating pork, say new guidelines on the etiquette of using communal kitchens at work.
Similarly, it would be best to avoid putting ham rolls in a shared fridge.
Adam Dinham, professor of faith and public policy at Goldsmiths, University of London, has drawn up a religious literacy programme to be presented to employers this week.
He said: “The microwaves example is a good one. We also say ‘Don’t put kosher or halal and other… special foods next to another (food) or, God forbid, on the same plate’.”
Halaal and kosher food served at corporate events should be certified, and thought be given as to whether to serve alcohol, the guidelines suggest.
Professor Dinham warned that as well as the established faiths of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Sikhism, employers should consider new religions and cults, including Scientology and beliefs such as environmentalism and vegetarianism.
The programme, commissioned by interfaith group CoExist House, deals with other matters including clothing, the right to wear religious symbols such as crucifixes and hijabs, and whether to allow time off on religious holidays.
Dinham said: “We have lost the ability to talk about religious belief because of a century of secular assumptions, and most religious belief is either highly visible and we don’t recognise it, or it’s invisible and we miss it entirely.”
The guidelines are due to be presented to employers by professional services firm EY.
Dinham told the Sunday Times: “We can’t be didactic. You can’t say ‘Do this, this and this and you’ll get it right’.
“We point out that there is no definition in law of religion and belief. The Equality Act has (made) an attempt… but it is so woolly as to be useless.”
The religious guidelines come after years in which employers and workers have had to be increasingly careful to avoid racism and sexism.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission quango has already given its views on how to consider requests for time off relating to a worker’s religion or belief.
It says: “If you refuse everyone’s request to take time off on a particular day which happens to be a special observance day for workers of a particular religion, this may be indirect discrimination unless you can objectively justify your refusal.”
Daily Mail
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