Children's worker loses case over Sunday shifts

The Christian Legal Centre (CLC) has expressed its disappointment after a children's worker lost her case against employers who would not give her Sunday off in accordance with her faith.

Celestina Mba was forced to resign in 2010 after Brightwell Children's Home in Morden, where she had worked for three years, told her she would have to work Sundays.

Ms Mba's faith had initially been accommodated but the home later changed its policy and rejected her offer to work nights and Saturdays, and even to accept less pay.

An employment tribunal ruled today that the 57-year-old had not been constructively dismissed from her job.

Despite her attempt to reach a compromise, the judge concluded that there were no viable alternatives to requiring Ms Mba to work Sundays.

Ms Mba said: “I am amazed by this decision. I thought that this country was a Christian country and known for its welcome and hospitality to all people. I worked hard for years at my job, and to lose it because of intolerance towards my faith is shocking to me.”

The CLC questioned the judge's ruling in light of a similar case last year in which a Muslim had been accommodated by his employers, G4S Security Services Ltd, so that he could attend afternoon prayers at Finsbury Park Mosque in London.

Andrea Williams, CLC Director said she was extremely disappointed by the decision and that they were now considering appealing.

“Celestina was let down by her employers, who failed to continue to accommodate her beliefs," she said.

“She was an employee who wished to observe Sunday. Her employers forced her to choose between her job and her faith. This was unacceptable, and we are disappointed that the judge did not agree with her.

“There needs to be a reasonable accommodation of the Christian faith across the public sphere, for the good of all; pressure from employers against Christians expressing their faith is an increasingly regular hallmark of what Baroness Warsi has described as our 'deeply intolerant culture'."