Play all audios:
The chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) David Isaac said companies should take a “common sense approach” in dealing with religion at work. He said: “Freedom of
religion is a fundamental human right and it shouldn’t be suppressed through fear of offending. Lots of employers have now become really worried about doing anything discriminatory regarding
their Muslim or Jewish staff.” Mr Isaac also lambasted the decision by the country's three largest cinema chains for banning a 60 second advert featuring the Archbishop of Canterbury
Justin Welby and others reading lines from The Lord's Prayer last year. The advert had been due to air in December last year before the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens but the Oden,
Cineworld and Vue chains, which account for around 80 percent of all screens in the UK, refused to air the clip. A section in an upcoming report by the ECHR reads: "There is no right in
Britain not to be offended and, in our view, respect for people's right to express beliefs with which others might disagree, is the mark of a democratic society. "We are concerned
that a single supplier is effectively able to control a very large proportion of the market and effectively impose a blanket ban on advertising of a religious nature." CROWDS SING
CHRISTIAN CHRISTMAS CAROLS AT A SHOPPING CENTRE > Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and it shouldn’t > be suppressed through fear of offending. Lots of employers have
now > become really worried about doing anything discriminatory regarding > their Muslim or Jewish staff > > David Isaac, Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission He
added the existing laws were fine but they had been misinterpreted through a fear of causing offence. He added: “There are a lot of myths out there when it comes to dealing with religion at
work. I want to put the record straight.” While some may refer to the festive period as “the winter holidays” as a way of being culturally sensitive and not wanting to cause offence Mr
Isaac said: “It is okay to hold a party and to send Christmas cards. RELATED ARTICLES Getty An office party in full swing “Most Muslims and Jews I know adhere to their own religious beliefs
of course, but to some extent acknowledge that Christmas happens and to some extent, with a small ‘c’, celebrate it. This is people’s lived experience and we need to reflect it.” The
government’s integration tsar Dame Louise Casey recently said the celebration of Christmas was a British tradition and needed to be preserved to help prevent social divisions. Getty An
office worker overdoes the festive spirit at an office party The EHRC is to publish new guidelines on religion in the workplace this week and will also state employers do not have to agree
to an employee’s request for time off for a religious holiday or a pilgrimage. Companies, however, must give proper consideration to the request and would have to show that the request for
leave might harm the business. The guidelines will also show that there is no requirement to allow employees time off to pray in the workplace. Isaac, ultimately, said that companies just
had to be “sensible” in how decisions were reached.