Acas has published new guidance on religion and belief discrimination in the workplace. The 26-page guidance booklet, entitled “Religion or belief discrimination: key points for the workplace”, primarily offers employers, managers, HR professionals, employees and job applicants a grounding in how to reduce the chance of religion or belief discrimination happening in the workplace, how it might still occur and how it should be dealt with if it does happen. While employers and employees can be liable for their own acts of discrimination, employers can also be liable for their employees’ acts.

The guidance covers:

• what religion or belief discrimination is
• how it can happen
• in what work situations it is most likely to happen
• the raising and handling of complaints.

There is also a large section on general considerations, covering such diverse issues as job duties and religion or belief, talking about religion or belief at work, unacceptable language, food and fasting, behaviours based on religious belief, working on a holy day of the week, bereavement, washing and changing rooms, avoiding stereotyping and occupational requirements.