Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic calendar, and it is marked by followers of this faith in various ways, including fasting during daylight hours. In 2025, Ramadan is expected to start on the evening of Friday 28 February. This can have a varied impact on an employee’s performance and availability for work, so it is best to plan ahead so that when it comes to Ramadan itself there are no issues.
Whilst there is no specific legal right for employees to celebrate Ramadan, where it is possible to do so, employers should strongly consider allowing employees to practice their faith as they see fit, ensuring good employee relations, and avoiding any allegations of discrimination.
Impact of fasting
Given the physical demands of fasting, some employees may require adjustments to their working routine during Ramadan. This could include altering shift patterns, changing start and finish times, or amending duties to reduce fatigue impacting performance or increasing risk of injury. Fasting can affect each person differently and as such decisions should be on an individual basis, rather than a "one-size-fits-all" approach.
A restricted intake of food may have a negative impact on productivity levels. Organisations should take this into consideration where there are any temporary drops in performance for employees. And they should not be treated less favourably because they are observing Ramadan. To do otherwise could amount to discrimination.
It may also be the case that the employee works overnight. This may mean that they need additional breaks for food or prayer, or to adjust their working hours to accommodate arrangements for breaking their fast. As above, where possible these adjustments should be made.
Annual leave
It may be that individuals prefer to use their annual leave during Ramadan, or for the Eid celebrations after. Whilst it is important to be consistent with the rules that are normally applied to holiday booking, it may be that exceptions will need to be made where requests come in at the last minute, or where there are several team members wishing to have the same period off.
Policy
Given the importance of Ramadan to Muslims, it would be advisable to highlight the organisation’s approach in a religious observance policy, giving individuals a clear source of information on their rights at work during this time. Any policy will need to be inclusive, giving equal footing to other religions and celebrations relevant to them, to avoid claims of religious discrimination.
Harassment
Unfortunately, there is potential for Muslim employees to face unwanted treatment and/or religious harassment at work during Ramadan, either at the hands of third parties or their fellow colleagues. It may be that other staff see adjustments made for their Muslim colleagues as special treatment or resent any additional duties they have been asked to pick up as a result. Organisations should work to dispel any notion of this and make sure to remind staff that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found responsible for offensive behaviour.
When it comes to religious observance, it is important that employers act in a way that is sensitive to the needs of those requesting adjustments, and line managers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deal with their requests in a respectful and fair manner.
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