To ask a Muslim admin assistant to organise Christams cards

[Goodfrock]

We're a small PR company who sends out lots of Christmas cards. Whether this is worthwhile is up for debate, but the decision has been taken that it will continue for this year at least.

The admin assistant to whom this task falls is a newly appointed Muslim woman I.e
The person in her role has done it previously but it wasn't her last year.

She's not comfortable organising the cards. Was it an unreasonable request? This is very much a genuine question. I'm kicking myself for being insensitive at the same time as thinking it would be daft to get someone more senior to do it.

No not unreasonable, her refusal to do it is.

YANBU to ask her. Lots of people don't celebrate Christmas (which will include some of the people you're sending the cards off to!). It's an admin task. Presumably she's not otherwise deeply involved in it and you're not writing deeply religious messaging (beyond Christmas being obviously Christian).

She's unreasonable for refusing.

It’s not an unreasonable request imo and part of her job.

Sure, it's reasonable to pass on doing something for reasons of religion and belief.

Other examples might include refusing to use someone's preferred pronouns if they differ from one's biological sex, in the workplace, if this is a sincerely held belief in biological sex. Maya Forstater recently won a court case on this.

A Jewish admin assistance could refuse to pop out and buy bacon sandwiches for a client lunch, as another example.

I'm pretty sure it's a protected characteristic in law.

You weren't unreasonable to ask at all and I don't think you were insensitive. Just move on. Maybe also in future switch to e-cards. Much, much less hassle and cheaper!

It’s a marketing/PR piece of work. Of course you’re not. Businesses Christmas cards aren’t about spreading goodwill- it’s about brand recognition. If admin is part of her role then she is being difficult

I'd take it as an excuse to stop what is most likely an entirely pointless waste of time and resources.

YANBU to ask her, but if she genuinely does have an objection to doing it, forcing her to do so would be a bit of a dick move.

I don’t think YABU and I’m battling to understand her objection. I’m a Jew. I run a (non-Jewish) charity. This year I’ll be arranging Christmas for 650 people!

She is an admin assistant. This is an admin job. She should do it.

Loads of Muslims send Christmas cards - even our local Mosque posts a card with seasonal greetings through our letter box every year.

You're not asking her to do it in her personal name but on behalf of the company. If you want to make any adjustment at all make them seasons greetings rather than actual Christmas cards but she needs to just get on and do it.

My friend is vegeterian - for a while she had to work in the offices of an abbitorir because the job centre said they'd withdraw her UC otherwise. She was not ecstatic but she did it anyway

What did she say when she refused?

What does “organising the cards” actually mean in this context? Picking out the design of the cards, writing cards (presumably not?), printing lists of addresses and sticking on envelopes?

It’s an admin task, it’s unreasonable for her to refuse. She isn’t exactly sending out personal Christmas wishes!

UR for her to refuse. You're a PR company too.

She’d be doing it in the name of your business, not her personally. I see no issue her doing this task.

She sounds like a walking talking discrimination suit waiting to happen.

Of course it's not an unreasonable request though.

She isn’t being asked to take part in an act of worship, handle pork, include her personal greeting… she is BU.

Are the cards even religious?

It’s just one part of her job really. I don’t think you’re being unreasonable to ask.

She's unreasonable. Loads of my Muslim friends.ds send cards and attend the Xmas do. It's am admin task.

Can you accommodate her wishes easily? Then it’d be worth it for the goodwill, showing a bit of sensitivity towards an employee. I presume she won’t be putting in for leave around Christmas, which is handy.
Or you could say that it’s part of the job description, and then she either complies uncomfortably or leaves.
Up to you, but flexibility is a good sign in management.

It's part of her job role so she's being unreasonable refusing to do so. Lots of Muslins send Xmas cards. If part of my role was to sort out Diwali lights I'd just do it. You're not asking for her to personally send a Xmas card, just to sort them out from business. I'd think she should have a verbal warning or if she's only just started I'd wonder if she's suited to the role and maybe get rid of her and appoint someone more accommodating.

wtf. that's her job. what a strange attitude.. and I say that as a Muslim. its not like you are asking her to to chug whiskey while sitting in a pile of bacon. honestly!

YANBU.
She is being unreasonable.

Unless the cards are made of bacon

Of course you are not unreasonable to ask her - it sounds exactly the sort of thing admin in a PR company would do! She isn't sending the cards in her personal name, but is probably printing out addresses, sticking them on and putting the cards in an envelope and posting them on the company's behalf. I also don't think it is insensitive to ask her at all.

This is an interesting example. Refusal to use someone’s preferred pronouns is clear cut (based on the ruling).

But a similar example to the OP might be to enter people’s preferred pronouns from a written list into the HR database E.g office admin.

Would refusal to do that also be protected?

She is the unreasonable one, not you! If the precious flower can't stand being contaminated by a Christmas card, I'd say she is not following the teachings of her own religion.