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ACAS has published new guidance on religion and belief ‘to help ensure businesses are following the law when it comes to managing staff that have a particular religion, belief or those that don’t hold any beliefs’.

Religion or Belief Discrimination: Key Points for the Workplace follows the publication by the GEO of specific dress code guidance, which is also covered in the ACAS guide.

The ACAS guidance highlights recruitment as a key area where employers should take care to ensure they avoid discrimination, especially related to job adverts, training and development opportunities, and opportunities for promotions. The guide also offers help to ensure that employers:

• take a flexible approach to dress codes where possible
• consider requests to use annual leave for religious reasons carefully and sympathetically, and
• understand that fasting can impact on performance, so employers should try to be understanding in line with business needs