Resolved complaint (262) about religious discrimination in employment

About the complaint

The complainant is Muslim and was employed on a casual basis by the respondent labour-hire company to perform work for the respondent logistics company. He said he used a meeting room to pray during his lunch break and alleged a supervisor told him he could no longer do this because colleagues found it offensive and uncomfortable. He alleged that, in response to him asking why this was, the supervisor told him to pray in the car park and stop wasting his time. The complainant alleged that following this interaction, the company told him by text he was no longer required on site. He said he complained about this conduct to the labour-hire company and was not offered any further work.

The logistics company said the complainant’s former supervisor had a different recollection of events and that workers were able to pray on site as needed. The labour-hire company said it had offered the complainant other placements but he had refused.

The complaint was resolved by conciliation with an agreement that the respondents jointly pay the complainant $4,000.

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