It is a position of principle of the company

"It is a position of principle of the company." We do not wish to issue an opinion on religious subjects. "Like the Danone Group, the majority of the companies interviewed by"Les echos"preferred not to speak publicly on an issue that they consider"bomb ". "As a general, entrusted HRD of a large group, it is true that this question is extremely complicated to handle in a company, because of its symbolic and political support explosive."

"Intelligence and tolerance".

On the one hand, reminds of the labour law, company is by nature a secular neutrality, in which religious, political or philosophical, beliefs do not have freedom of the city. On the other, recognizes unanimous the HRD community, it seems legitimate to respect the religious practices of each therefore that they are not obstacles to the normal execution of the work requested. "If religious beliefs must remain in the private sphere, nothing still to show intelligence and tolerance by accepting certain adjustments, summarizes Yves Desjacques, CEO delegate supported the Vedior France temporary working group human resources. Thus, the availability of kosher food in the restaurant business, if a sufficient demand justifies it, is not more questionable than traditional fish on Friday, culinary heritage of the recommended Catholic precepts to the faithful the Fridays of lent! "In PSA Peugeot Citroën, an agreement with the unions in September 2004 provided accommodation for some employees, agreed to by the direction of production sites, including the establishment of vending machines to expand the choice of meals in the canteens of the undertaking, or offset on production of the so-called"long"break lines, corresponding to the dinner during the period of ramadanso that it coincides with the breakdown of fasting.

Same concern Norsys (155 employees), a devout SSII: "In the period of ramadan, we arrange our Muslim colleagues schedules taking into account the economic imperatives that we impose our customers", says its CEO, Sylvain Breuzard.

Substitutable holidays

If claims of religious order little bear social Chronicle, proponents of equality of rights in the company are pointing the calendar of public holidays. Several of these days stipulated by the Labour Code correspond to Christian religious holidays and are generally non-working and paid according to the provisions of collective agreements and practice. The employees of other faiths who wish to be absent to attend their religions cults are therefore not the same rights. "Employees who wish to participate in religious holidays are asked to leave or take of RTT", confirms in AXA France. "If a few companies have been brought to account for certain applications, these concessions are precarious, most often related to the unilateral decision of the employer, in a social context of the company more or less tolerant unlike expressed" analysis Sylvain Allemand, co-author (with Michel Miné) of "whistle while working "The human rights of the work: a State of affairs" (editions the blue rider). The report of the former Ombudsman of the Republic Bernard Stasi on secularism, December 11, 2003, made a bold proposal. Several days (Christmas Orthodox Eid-el-Kébir, Yom Kippur,...) would be recognized as holidays and substitutable to an another holiday present (corresponding to a religious festival) for employees who wish to. Each employee would thus benefit from a "holiday credit" to a day, all the other employees continuing to benefit from the same number of nonworking days. But for the moment, "mentalities are hardly moving, tip Sylvain Allemand. The judges of the Court of cassation are inflexible: the company

"civil rhyme with secularized Christianity."