Praying at work?

[supersop60]

My ds has a fairly new colleague who is Muslim. He takes regular prayer breaks during the day in a designated space. DS says that each break is taking at least 20 minutes, and during that time, someone has to stay in the reception/office area in case a customer turns up, and they can’t do other tasks that need doing.
The question is - are these prayer breaks too long? Is there a rule?

No there isn't a rule. It's up to the employer. Same as cigarette breaks don't have a legally defined time limit.

This specific employee is clearly taking the piss.

I’ve worked with Muslim colleagues before and yes some of them have prayed through the day but the prayers have lasted 5-10 minutes and it’s only a few times each day. The smokers/vapers take far more time out of the working day than any Muslim I’ve worked with.

And breaks to manage diabetes, and pump breast milk, and for ND people, those with Crohns etc. Lots of people get additional breaks.

If the constant covering of reception is negatively affecting your DS's job, he needs to ask management to switch up the cover so it's not always the same person.

Or failing that, find someone to help with the workload that's piling up because of it.

Do smokers still get cigarette breaks? I work in a school so people don’t generally get breaks beyond break/lunch time so it’s not something I see any more.

Yes they do, I work in a school and teachers pop out during their free periods/PPAs etc as well as at break and lunch for a ciggie, and support staff have much more flexibility to manage their own breaks

They do where I work.

It's not just the prayer though, it takes time for wudu (washing) as well. My colleagues regularly take that long.

but is it specifically a cigarette break or a break they smoke in?

if you have a 5 period teaching day then you couldn’t.

Maybe there isn’t a difference.

Your DS should be aware that religion is a protected status in the U.K. and prayer breaks are part of that.

As in a separate break to the other breaks?

There isnt a legal requirement to provide prayer breaks.

It could be the case they have agreed to this as a reasonable adjustment without realising the impact it has on workloads. Your DS needs to discuss this with his line manager.

He is aware. He doesn’t want to stop his colleague praying, but he is taking an hour out of his working day.

He should be using his breaks or making the time back.

Nonsense.

It takes less than 60 seconds to do ablutions and about 5mins tops for prayers during the day - ergo, max 25min if all 5 daily prayers are done in the workplace.

That employee is piss taking and as usual, will spoil it for other possible Muslim employees that do not take as long as he does.

Sounds like a classic 'given an inch, takes a mile' IMHO, routinely expecting someone else to do the job you're being paid for isn't on.

On a busy hospital ward where I was working, we waited for a Housekeeper to arrive and, after sauntering half-heartedly onto the ward, casually and leisurely doing a few small chores at a very slow pace, she then went off to pray and we didn’t see her again 😂

I think it depends on your industry.

In hospitality its a case of "There is not much happening, I will nip out for a quick fag", but then proper breaks are a rarity due to the nature of the business. So you might pop out twice in an hour but then not again until the end of your shift. I am nearly off my vape now (30 fags a day to 20mg liquid, now on 3mg, very happy!) but I will continue to take a vape with 0% in it just in order to get a wee break.

I spend most of my working day praying, usually for God to give me strength.

Seriously though, if it is genuinely affecting your sons ability to fulfil his duties because he's spending half his time covering someone else's breaks he needs to speak to his manager. Otherwise, butt out because he has no idea what the arrangement may be

It’s between the employee and the manager.

I wouldn’t complain about it. He should just focus on his own work.

Colleague has the right to take breaks for prayer.

Due to the time of year and shorter days, the prayers are closer together than they would be in the summer and when days are longer.

Ask manager to speak to colleague and find a solution that works for everyone.

There is no automatic right to prayer breaks at work.

Is his time out for praying additonal to lunch break time? Does he work the same total number of hours as other staff?

eg at my work place it doesn’t matter if I take two, two hour breaks every day…… as long as I get my total 7:30 hours done within 7:30am - 7:30pm

Nonsense.

He has the right to ask - employers do not have to pander to this.

He's there to WORK and be paid for it. Not paid to "pray".

Its up to the employer to provide discretion, but there is NO automatic "right" to pray at work.

SMH.

But the point is its affecting his own work