As long as I get to pray to FSM it's all good.

I've worked with Muslim co-workers before, and it was never a big deal. Technically, they can fit in two or three of the prayers before and after work, and the regular lunch and mid-day breaks are usually sufficient.

This article made it sound like the employees were not scheduling and/or communicating well.

Muslims keep their 5 prayers during day light hours, the first and last being just after sunrise and jest before sunset. If anyone is at work this long, they deserve at least four 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch, in which a muslim could perform five 10 minute prayers with wudu (ritual cleansing)

So, 5 per day, not per work shift. They currently get 2 and are asking for a 3rd, ten minute break, without pay. This doesn't seem that worth fighting over.

Which is the dumber religion? Muslims or Mormons? Tough call.

We've always taken it for granted that we got Christmas Day off. And before political correctness set in, we had Easter Break and Christmas Break.

I have a Buddhist friend who always takes Buddha's birthday off (and she invites us over for supper - I can't pronounce most of the stuff she serves, but it is GOOD!)

I think observant Jews can take their holy days off without having to use leave time (though I would have to check on this one.)

It seems only fair to allow observant Muslims to have their prayer breaks. From what I've seen, the prayers are formulaic and very brief, so how much of an interruption to the work day can that be?

Before retiring, I took more restroom breaks than were officially allowed, because Nature demanded. Nobody ever said a word.

I don't have a problem with cutting people a little slack now and again.

The school district I grew up in was at least 50% Jewish. They were all absent (excused) on High Holidays. The rest of us read books and watched movies all day. They never closed the schools in order to make sure we had enough days in the school year.

I had an advanced math class in High School that had 6 of us there on Jewish Holidays. Not a big deal to anyone.

He stops his class, spreads out his prayer rug and says his prayer while students wait. They complained and got nowhere.

This is a case of religious bullying.

Where I live, if you are an hourly worker and work a full day, you get a lunch break and two 15-minute breaks. For a Muslim worker, this would accommodate 3 out of the 5 daily prayers. The other two could be accomplished before and after work. It may be that this is more an issue of *all* of the workers not having adequate breaks.

There shouldn't be more than 3 prayers that affect the work day unless they are working them 12-hour shifts or something. One of their prayers is supposed to be shortly upon arising and one in the evening. It just doesn't seem that they can prove it's an undue burden. It might be if they want special breaks to prayer on top of the breaks they should have.

The prayers are supposed to be scheduled at very specific times. Many Muslims allow for some flexibility, but if they can't do that, it can be a problem.

I think no one has a right to take a job they can't or won't do. It's like a mormon taking a job that requires Sunday work and expecting everyone to routinely take the Sunday shifts so the mormon can teach Sunday School at the ward house.

If anything, the most times they would have to pray is 3 times during an 8 hour shift, and the work breaks can be scheduled for those times. The other 2 prayer times would be done before and after work since one is done right after waking up, and the last prayer is sometime in the evening, before bed.

what if their silly cult required animal sacrifice five times a day ?
would an employer have to accomodate that ?

I think it is primarily a problem if an assembly line cannot continue run without the Muslim workers so must shut down during prayers. The other consideration is that the times change during the year so it isn't as simple as just adding an additional break at a set time. (I think anyway)

I personally think prayers can and should be accommodated but I do have some sympathy for the business drivers at play here.

My own opinion is that a workplace is no place for any religious practice. Take it outside or home on your own time. If it doesn't fit into the same break schedule as everyone else...too fucking bad.

RB

The prayer takes only 2-3 minutes. The smoke break takes longer. The exact time it must be done depends upon the sect. Most Muslim friends I have are very loose about the time. They get around to it eventually.

At least that was my experience with lots of travel in the middle East