Waking early to break fast before dawn during Ramadan means a change in routine for Muslims all over the world.
For 30 days each year, Muslims give to charity and abstain from food, drink, swearing and smoking during daylight hours as a way of reflecting on their faith and coming closer with Allah, or God. After a meal called suhoor just before dawn prayer, Muslims won't eat or drink again until they gather for friends and family for iftar after the sunset prayer.
Ramadan's start date varies each year depending on the Islamic lunar calendar, which starts with the first sighting of the crescent moon. This year, the holy month started on March 23 and ends on Friday, April 21, when Muslims will pray, give gifts, eat sweets and share a meal to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.
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It can take some reasonable adjustments to fit work around a Ramadan routine, and employers are obliged by the Equality Act 2010 to provide flexibility. Needs will vary between people, but it can include allowing Muslim employees to start work early, take additional rest breaks, and book annual leave to celebrate Eid, according to Tell MAMA.
The anti-Muslim hate reporting service also advised employers to schedule meetings earlier in the day and avoid evening events due to fatigue by the afternoon. They can also consider ensuring food meeting Muslims' dietary requirements are available on site for employees working unusual hours.
Employers aren't obliged to automatically provide time or a place to pray, or give time off for religious festivals, but they "should consider requests carefully and sympathetically, be reasonable and flexible where possible", according to Acas. The employment advice service said: "Refusing a request without a good business reason could amount to discrimination."
Tell MAMA advised employers to treat the month as a chance to learn about their employees' faiths, saying: "Consider creating space for staff to explain what their faith means to them to help cultivate empathy and understanding, and invite other faith groups, to discuss important events that fall in the same calendar month.
"For example, Jewish communities will celebrate Passover, Jains celebrate Mahavir Jayanti – the founder of their faith, Christians celebrate Easter and for Sikhs and Hindus, Vaisakhi ushers in the Solar New Year and spring harvest.
"If not already, we encourage employees to update or create interfaith and multicultural calendars, for staff to feed into and feel able to be their authentic selves when in the workplace."
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