Hertz fires 26 Muslim drivers in prayer break dispute

[ZombieHorde]

By Denise Whitaker

SEATTLE -- Car rental firm Hertz fired 26 employees at its Sea-Tac Airport location for failing to clock out when they take their prayer breaks. The employees say Hertz is trampling on their right to religious freedom, but the company says it's merely trying to promote fairness in the workplace.

"We feel like we're being punished for what we believe in," said former Hertz employee Ileys Omar.

Omar is a Muslim who prays five times a day. In the past, Muslim employees at Hertz paused for their prayers without clocking out.

"It's five minutes. It's not as big deal as the company's making it," Omar said.

~snip~

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/132283988.html

[laconicsax]

1. They're not being prohibited from taking the breaks.

Hertz may have overstepped, but the drivers could have just followed the capricious policy.

[Riftaxe]

2. outside of salaried positions, i can't think of where

I would not have outright fired for doing my own thing on "company" time.

[laconicsax]

3. It's a little more complicated because of the religious freedom issue.

If Hertz said, "sure, go pray when you need to, just clock out and back in," they're screwed. If they treated it as a simple, voluntary break, that's a whole other story.

[darkstar3]

4. I read a longer version of this story elsewhere a couple of weeks ago.

Can't find it now, but it certainly read as though it was a "go ahead a pray, but not on our dime" scenario. They were given a simple and fair policy to follow, and they broke it.

Arby's used to do the same thing to my smoking co-workers when I was back in high school.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. That is pretty much what Hertz said

Its a rational and lawful policy.

The claim is that a few people would disappear for hours, abusing what had been handled informally. Some muslim employees agreed to it up front and were not fired. If those who were fired agree to it, they can get their jobs back.

Hertz has done everything required legally and ethically here. There is no religious freedom issue about this.

[Skittles]

5. five times a day, no less

[Possumpoint]

6. Let's See

Twenty six employees, 5 minutes times 5 a day = just shy of 11 man hours a day. The loss of one man for more then a day.