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

[GelatinousDynamo]

I have a new employee in my team, she is a devout Muslim. She's been with us since January and there were no issues so far, she's getting along well with everyone and her performance was fine. I sent her an email on Friday afternoon to say that 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 and she can't spend the day alone with strange men (because of her religion).

AIBU to insist that she does her job and goes there or would that be religious discrimination? She shares an office with a male colleague and has never complained about it. She's the first devout Muslim I've ever had on my team and I honestly have no experience at all with such issues. She's the only one who has the necessary experience and isn't already scheduled elsewhere.

does her job description say that she is required to meet with external clients?

if that’s the case, and she signed the contract, then she has two options:

1. resfuse to do so and be taken through performance management. She will threaten suing, but she won’t winz
2. resign and find a job where there is no requirement to meet with external clients

its very simple

It is your company isn’t it Op?

Did she tell you this at interview?

Does she usually WFH?
Is this the first meeting she has had to attend?

I don't think it is reasonable to expect one colleague to cover for another in relation to a core aspect of the role if it is for the reason given here.

There’s no ‘law’ in Islam either. What there are, are different interpretations and beliefs in Islam around this.

What is a law in the UK is that you cannot refuse to provide a service to someone because of their protected characteristic, ( such as being of the male sex). This is why Christians ( and Muslims etc) are not allowed to refuse a service to someone because they are gay.

Your DH wants you to fire her?

Presumably he’s gunning for you too to be fired

Interesting to find out hr’s position on this.

Can you imagine it? "Good morning Mr Client. I'm Mrs Muslim and this is Miss Chaperone. She won't be doing any work (other than sticking to me like glue) but you will be paying for her time. Now, my ground rules for today are as follows......."

Yes. I know her old company, it's a bit of an "old boys' club", so I simply assumed it was because of her gender.

I know you possibly can’t op but I would say this is what’s required so either do it or leave.

presumably she must’ve known she would have to meet with clients and if you can’t do certain aspects of your role, it needs to be clearly mentioned at interview stage.

Ah, so you were misled?

OP does she usually WFH?
was she advised that she would need to attend client facing In person meetings?

We all come into the office 3 days per week, but she's never attended a meeting on her own until now. I've come along the first two times, because I wanted to see her "in action".

I know. And even aside of the unnecessary cost to the company, I would not be happy to have to chaperone for this reason snd waste my time doing this. I would still have my own workload which I would still have to do, and end up working later, to accommodate this.

How do you learn from it? Not hire Muslim women, of which the variation/and choices re practice will differ? Or ask them during interview which is a dangerous line?

An”old boy’s club”

and it didn’t occur to you for a minute that it might be because she’s a strict Muslim?

Yes, good point. Damned if you do, etc.

And how did she perform?

would you be sorry if she was no longer in the team? Was she delivering value?

Who cares if she is a strict muslim. She was hired to a role and is now saying she can't do a core element of it.

Of course you can’t force the woman to do something that her religion forbids. If she’s a devout Muslim, then it would have been obvious when she was interviewed thst she was religious, and I don’t think it’s at all reasonable to expect her to put herself in this position.

This is not just about you and her - this is about other people having to pick up her job as well. Not on. But be careful - very often these people are very litigious.

I don't know where you stand legally but in my opinion it's akin to taking a job where weekend and Christmas day work is required and then refusing to work any Sundays or Christmas day because of your religion. Ridiculous behaviour.

Yes I agree

It was just the idea the OP didn’t think that it could be for any other reason than gender that an “old boys club” would discriminate

Several posts declaring that if she didn't specify this in interview, then you don't need to accommodate her requirements. Surely, by turning up to a job interview in modest, Muslim appropriate dress (no ankles, wrists, shoulders or collar bone showing) and her hair covered, you should know her religious requirements? She was clearly the best candidate forthe job or you would not have employed her, so accommodate her needs.