Permit me to share the following account which came to my attention a few weeks ago, of a recent case not too dissimilar to the one that is reported to have sparked the ire of the commissioner of police.

It is stated that a practicing Muslim in Tennessee, USA, who took his religious obligation to make the hajj to Mecca at least once in his lifetime, was denied the 20 days' leave he applied for to make the pilgrimage. The hospital he worked for told him he either had to work as scheduled or resign and apply for rehire when he returned. It is reported that the employee chose the latter option, but when he returned and reapplied the hospital would not rehire him.

Information is that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the hospital on the employee's behalf. Fearing the worst, the hospital came to an out-of-court settlement for US$70,000. Putting the issue concisely, the EEOC is reported to have stated: "Demanding that an employee choose between his job and a mandatory tenet of his faith is a violation of federal law." Reference: http://hrcafe.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/05/religious-discrimination-a-pilgrimage-to-me. Here is a society that is truly serious about protecting the rights of its citizens.

Mutual respect, tolerance

Admittedly, it is not always easy to find accommodation, especially in the essential services, but sometimes it might be possible if only a disposition toward mutual respect and tolerance could be part of the process of resolving our differences. It is significant to note the EEOC recommend that approaches involving the use of "flexible scheduling, voluntary substitutions or swaps, job reassignments and lateral transfers, or modification of policies and/or procedures" should be considered in handling such issues.

I am, etc.,

D. Graham