Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
Jan 6th 2009, 11:27 pm
#1
100% British Beef
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: In A Field
Posts: 1,102
Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
A Muslim catering manager who was asked to handle pork sausages and bacon is bringing a claim for religious discrimination against the Metropolitan Police.
An English breakfast is at the centre of the row
Hasanali Khoja was told he would be expected to handle pork products when he started a new job at the Empress State Building in London's Earls Court.
An informal agreement has now been reached but Mr Khoja, who launched his claim last year, wants it to be formalised.
An employment tribunal in Watford will consider his claim next year.
"Obviously nobody in my situation would be happy," he said. "Pork handling is the issue."
The claim is about his religious beliefs. He was not accommodated, that's what the claim is about. They failed to accommodate him as they had a duty to do under the law.
Lawyer Khalid Sofi
Mr Khoja, who has worked for the force since 2005, had previously worked at Hendon Police College in north London, but was excused from touching pork products due to his religion.
As a senior catering manager, he does not cook on a regular basis, but is expected to handle food, his lawyer Khalid Sofi said.
"He would have had to do certain things and bacon would have been involved."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A catering manager is bringing employment tribunal proceedings against the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) alleging religious belief discrimination.
"The MPS is defending the claim. It's an ongoing case so we wouldn't comment further."
An English breakfast is at the centre of the row
Hasanali Khoja was told he would be expected to handle pork products when he started a new job at the Empress State Building in London's Earls Court.
An informal agreement has now been reached but Mr Khoja, who launched his claim last year, wants it to be formalised.
An employment tribunal in Watford will consider his claim next year.
"Obviously nobody in my situation would be happy," he said. "Pork handling is the issue."
The claim is about his religious beliefs. He was not accommodated, that's what the claim is about. They failed to accommodate him as they had a duty to do under the law.
Lawyer Khalid Sofi
Mr Khoja, who has worked for the force since 2005, had previously worked at Hendon Police College in north London, but was excused from touching pork products due to his religion.
As a senior catering manager, he does not cook on a regular basis, but is expected to handle food, his lawyer Khalid Sofi said.
"He would have had to do certain things and bacon would have been involved."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A catering manager is bringing employment tribunal proceedings against the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) alleging religious belief discrimination.
"The MPS is defending the claim. It's an ongoing case so we wouldn't comment further."
Jan 6th 2009, 11:30 pm
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: all over the place
Posts: 759
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
A Muslim catering manager who was asked to handle pork sausages and bacon is bringing a claim for religious discrimination against the Metropolitan Police.
An English breakfast is at the centre of the row
Hasanali Khoja was told he would be expected to handle pork products when he started a new job at the Empress State Building in London's Earls Court.
An informal agreement has now been reached but Mr Khoja, who launched his claim last year, wants it to be formalised.
An employment tribunal in Watford will consider his claim next year.
"Obviously nobody in my situation would be happy," he said. "Pork handling is the issue."
The claim is about his religious beliefs. He was not accommodated, that's what the claim is about. They failed to accommodate him as they had a duty to do under the law.
Lawyer Khalid Sofi
Mr Khoja, who has worked for the force since 2005, had previously worked at Hendon Police College in north London, but was excused from touching pork products due to his religion.
As a senior catering manager, he does not cook on a regular basis, but is expected to handle food, his lawyer Khalid Sofi said.
"He would have had to do certain things and bacon would have been involved."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A catering manager is bringing employment tribunal proceedings against the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) alleging religious belief discrimination.
"The MPS is defending the claim. It's an ongoing case so we wouldn't comment further."
An English breakfast is at the centre of the row
Hasanali Khoja was told he would be expected to handle pork products when he started a new job at the Empress State Building in London's Earls Court.
An informal agreement has now been reached but Mr Khoja, who launched his claim last year, wants it to be formalised.
An employment tribunal in Watford will consider his claim next year.
"Obviously nobody in my situation would be happy," he said. "Pork handling is the issue."
The claim is about his religious beliefs. He was not accommodated, that's what the claim is about. They failed to accommodate him as they had a duty to do under the law.
Lawyer Khalid Sofi
Mr Khoja, who has worked for the force since 2005, had previously worked at Hendon Police College in north London, but was excused from touching pork products due to his religion.
As a senior catering manager, he does not cook on a regular basis, but is expected to handle food, his lawyer Khalid Sofi said.
"He would have had to do certain things and bacon would have been involved."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A catering manager is bringing employment tribunal proceedings against the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) alleging religious belief discrimination.
"The MPS is defending the claim. It's an ongoing case so we wouldn't comment further."
Jan 6th 2009, 11:37 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
It isn't anything gone mad.
It's a credit to the UK that it has legislation which allows for and protects people's religious beliefs.
It's a credit to the UK that it has legislation which allows for and protects people's religious beliefs.
Jan 6th 2009, 11:46 pm
#5
Its all good
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 7,650
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
Thats ridiculous if you accept a job as a chef at a UK police station the chances are you are going to come into contact with pork and probably non-halal meat as well - he should have tried for a job elsewhere. Same as if you were a recovering alcoholic you wouldn't accept a job in a bar
Sorry thats not a very good example - how about a devout roman catholic accepting a job as a care assistant in a abortion clinic
Sorry thats not a very good example - how about a devout roman catholic accepting a job as a care assistant in a abortion clinic
Last edited by Fairydust; Jan 6th 2009 at 11:50 pm. Reason: bad example
Jan 6th 2009, 11:46 pm
#6
banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,611
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
Jan 6th 2009, 11:47 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
So his choice was to resign, or continue on and hope for reason to prevail.
Which would you do?
Which would you do?
Jan 6th 2009, 11:51 pm
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
It is not beyond the realms of imagination that this wasn't mentioned at the interview but rather when he started (especially as the wording of the article implies this).
Edit to say: After a second look, my reading of this article is that he was transferred from one place to another and was already employed by the MPS...so that makes it more logical that he was not told until he started
If he was informed on application that this would be the case, he did not raise any objections at the time, was informed again before starting, did not raise objections and then started kicking up a fuss - then he will lose the case.
Either way, the legislation is there for a reason.
The story also does not state whether he is taking them to tribunal for a financial claim, or whether he is simply asking for his informal arrangement (which implies that he is still working in that canteen) to be written down in his contract.
Edit to say: After a second look, my reading of this article is that he was transferred from one place to another and was already employed by the MPS...so that makes it more logical that he was not told until he started
If he was informed on application that this would be the case, he did not raise any objections at the time, was informed again before starting, did not raise objections and then started kicking up a fuss - then he will lose the case.
Either way, the legislation is there for a reason.
The story also does not state whether he is taking them to tribunal for a financial claim, or whether he is simply asking for his informal arrangement (which implies that he is still working in that canteen) to be written down in his contract.
Last edited by W10; Jan 6th 2009 at 11:55 pm.
Jan 6th 2009, 11:55 pm
#12
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 872
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
does anyone else find it rather amusing that he's working with the 'police' so of course he's surrounded by 'pigs' and 'pork products'!? 
yay the filth!
(back to my juvenile corner now...
)
yay the filth!
(back to my juvenile corner now...
)
Jan 6th 2009, 11:56 pm
#14
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: all over the place
Posts: 759
Re: Sausages: Muslim Chef Sues Police
It is not beyond the realms of imagination that this wasn't mentioned at the interview but rather when he started (especially as the wording of the article implies this).
If he was informed on application that this would be the case, he did not raise any objections at the time, was informed again before starting, did not raise objections and then started kicking up a fuss - then he will lose the case.
Either way, the legislation is there for a reason.
The story also does not state whether he is taking them to tribunal for a financial claim, or whether he is simply asking for his informal arrangement (which implies that he is still working in that canteen) to be written down in his contract.
If he was informed on application that this would be the case, he did not raise any objections at the time, was informed again before starting, did not raise objections and then started kicking up a fuss - then he will lose the case.
Either way, the legislation is there for a reason.
The story also does not state whether he is taking them to tribunal for a financial claim, or whether he is simply asking for his informal arrangement (which implies that he is still working in that canteen) to be written down in his contract.
