{"id":6507,"date":"2017-12-06T09:30:33","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T22:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roubler.com\/hk\/?p=6507"},"modified":"2021-05-31T16:55:04","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T06:55:04","slug":"religion-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roubler.com\/hk\/resources\/blog\/religion-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Managing Religion in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Australian Constitution, the supreme law under which the nation operates, protects the free exercise of any religion in Australia. In the 2016 Census<\/a>, nearly 60 per cent of Australians reported identifying as a member of a religion. Australia\u2019s rich multiculturalism<\/a> means there are a large number of faiths practiced in the country, by people from all parts of the world.<\/p>\n

It is increasingly important for businesses to acknowledge the religious needs of employees, customers and other stakeholders in fulfilling their legal and social obligations. There are several areas where businesses need to pay particular attention to stay within the law. We list below some key considerations for managing religion in the workplace.<\/p>\n

Dress codes<\/h3>\n

Many businesses have dress codes or uniforms prescribed for the workplace. As a general rule, employees\u2019 religiously required dress should be allowed unless it breaches legislation, creates unsafe working conditions (for themselves or others), or is a genuine requirement for that person in that role (rather than just \u2018standard practice\u2019). For example, if an employee worked in food preparation or in a medical environment, occupational health and safety may dictate the need for all jewellery to be removed. This is a reasonable and genuine requirement within the law.<\/p>\n

It is important for the business to have open dialogue with employees for each party to provide feedback on guidelines, and to reach mutually agreed on outcomes. When establishing dress codes, a business should also consider the requirements future employees may have in regards to accommodating religious standards.<\/p>\n

Religious holidays<\/h3>\n

Under the Fair Work Act 2009 and state and territory anti-discrimination law, it\u2019s unlawful to discriminate against employees due to religion. This could include, for example, scheduling meetings on a religious holiday and not relaying important changes to a staff member who did not attend because they were absent to observe the holiday.<\/p>\n

Most businesses in Australia observe Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. Depending on the circumstances and the business, it is good practice for a business to be flexible to the needs of different employees. This could mean:<\/p>\n