To send an employee to a client even though she refuses because of her religion?

People just learn. They’re very adaptable.

The fact that you don't believe religion should be a protected characteristic is irrelevant.

Could they come to you instead or meet somewhere where there will be females? Is it possible to swap people around to accommodate? I'd be very careful, could easily be construed as Religious discrimination. Get tge advice if a good employment law solicitor.

Where do you draw the line to accommodate people?

I don’t believe religion should be a protected characteristic. It’s a belief system and it’s a choice unlike someone’s race or disability etc…

If someone wants to believe in a faith that’s fair enough but it shouldn’t impact on their ability to do their job and cause issues for other people.

Should someone who sees Sunday as a day of rest refuse to work on Sundays, as it conflicts with their religious views. Literally where do you draw the line to accommodate every religion…

She’s not saying she can’t work with men, she’s saying she can’t work with only men in an isolated area (like an office with no other women).

The law states:

• Employers have a duty to consider employee requests related to religion or belief, but they are not obligated to grant them
• Employers should consider reasonable accommodations to enable employees to practice their religion, but this must be balanced with the needs of the business

This is correct, @Potsofpetals, though as ever it comes down to what's considered reasonable and the attitude taken by those who seem to think it means "whatever I happen to want"

Though not a lawyer my own experience comes from employees being about 85% muslim because of the sector/geographical area. Needless to say the vast majority were fantastic people and were completely supportive of the very occasional troublemaker being managed out, so providing you're prepared to take proper advice and behave sensitively I wouldn't worry too much

We've had to deal with Muslim men who wouldn't accept female managers before

Edited to add so have I, OP; in fact one such man actually requested that a female trainer was made to leave because her presence was "offensive".
Instead he was the one who was asked to leave, and the case he tried to make got him nowhere except onto a blacklist in the industry

Oh dear this is very tricky.

I couldn’t do my job if I refused to work alone with males. I couldn’t have a staff member say they’d only work with mixed groups or women because I couldn’t guarantee that work would be available. If you’re in that situation/industry then you probably don’t have scope to offer her jobs that suit her religious observances. It’s not a choice you are making but the conditions of the clients you have with their male dominated client base?

I imagine you have already had to battle through a mountain of sexism to get to where you are. It’s really impressive that you’re a senior woman in a technical field. Other posters may not understand that while you’re senior you’re still in a vulnerable position. Support this woman over your clients and you lose work. Support your clients (lifeblood of the company) and you’ll be accused of discrimination. I am so sorry you’re dealing with this. It sounds really hard.

Paid by the hour means your client will go elsewhere if this employee has pay extra for a chaperone for jobs with men.

And if you cover the cost of the chaperone I assume her jobs will generate zero profit?

So far has she been able to fulfill the contracts and also keep within the agreed fees? (Without a chaperone)

As others have said I think you’ll need to pay for legal advice and tread carefully.

You might also consider calling her previous employer ostensibly for a reference but you could ask about her saying they didn’t give her premium projects - did they agree with that statement?

It’s such a shame - this woman’s chosen a career which isn’t compatible with her beliefs and probably spent a lot of time and money getting there. She’s going to be really upset when this reality hits home. The premium jobs in a technical industry will involve men. What was she thinking?

OP has already said it’s a tech field.

our client has now (finally) prepared all necessary documents and that she should go there and go over everything with them one day next week. She wrote me back today that she can't do that because only men work in the department

Unlikely to be carewok with documentation and dept?

The Equality Act protects people from discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief. There are certain criteria "philosophical belief" must meet to be protected but the it does not have to be religious in nature to be protected by law. I have seen ethical veganism used as an example of this.

www.acas.org.uk/religion-or-belief-discrimination#:~:text=Religion%20or%20belief%20is%20one,in%20any%20area%20of%20work.

Hmm, not sure there is much you can do other than support her.
It's a learning curve.
Make sure that you cover this situation with future interviewees.

I think it healthy she didn't make stereotyped assumptions about the employee.

This.

It's disappointing that you think religion should override gender equality and reasonable societal norms. The employee is a religious grifter.

We've had to deal with Muslim men who wouldn't accept female managers before

Good grief

Gawd help us if there are any religions that prohibit work ....

She was the best candidate to a job, not 75% of it. The minute she only wanted to do 75% then she is not the best person for the job. Gender equality overrides religion.

Small companies can be crippled by unreasonable requests like this. I personally would take umbrage with any employer who expected me to cover for a colleague on these grounds.

is she alone with this man in the office?

Op

do you value her? Would her leaving be a loss?

Send somebody else. Then just fail her after probation. Easiest way.

How on earth is the OP supposed to understand one persons very strict interpretation of a religion, when someone else of the same religion could have a totally different interpretation?

It is for the employee to make it clear what they can/cannot do and whether they can actually meet the job description, not for the OP to assume.

as an employee i would expect my employer to not discriminate my religious beliefs, tbh there shouldn’t be a question about it. it’s well known that muslim women wouldn’t go into a male dominated space (regardless of some muslim women that don’t adhere to this). i don’t believe you’ve exhausted all the options to accommodate her beliefs, it’s quite disappointing really. even if she does go you’ll be making them quite uncomfortable…

If you can legally, then give her the sack OP. She has only been with you 2 months and she's started to pull this stunt . God knows where it will end .
I worked with many devout Muslim ladies in the NHS and they all worked with men .

Because a religious rule that thinks any woman who sits next to a man will somehow be disgraced is sexist and regressive?