Muslim caterer sues Metropolitan Police over handling pork products

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...don/7704835.stm

Caterer sues police over sausages

A Muslim catering manager has accused the Metropolitan Police of religious discrimination as he was told he may have to handle sausages and bacon.

Hasanali Khoja was told he would be expected to handle pork products at his new job at the Empress State Building in Earls Court, west London.

His lawyer said Mr Khoja was excused from pork meat in his previous job at Hendon Police College in north London.

An informal agreement was reached with the force but he wants it formalised.

An employment tribunal in Watford will consider his claim in May 2009.

A Metropolitan Police (Met) spokesman said it was defending a claim of religious discrimination brought against it at an employment tribunal.

Islam forbids the consumption of pork meat or products containing pork.

Mr Khoja, a senior catering manager, has been working with the Met since 2005 and filed the claim in the tribunal last year.

He said: "Obviously nobody in my situation would be happy. Pork handling is the issue."

Religious beliefs

His lawyer Khalid Sofi said: "The claim is about his religious beliefs. They failed to accommodate him as they had a duty to do under the law.

"He would have had to do certain things and bacon would have been involved."

Mr Sofi said the Met reached an informal agreement with his client in June to excuse him from handling pork products after he took special leave from his job.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A catering manager is bringing employment tribunal proceedings against the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) alleging religious belief discrimination.

"The MPS is defending the claim."

Khoja proved himself a chopf##k by this action--he knew darn well that catering to Metro Police meant he would need to handle pork products.

When I showed a printout of the BBC article to the (Egyptian Muslim) owner of the ground-floor deli in the building where I work, he agreed with me cent-percent.

[almaty 19]

no one is making him eat pork..yes, pigs are to be avoided but handling of pork products is not grounds for the suit..

[almaty 19]

no one is making him eat pork..yes, pigs are to be avoided but handling of pork products is not grounds for the suit..

[Niels Bohr 72]

He needs to get porked up!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

He needs to get porked up!

On more serious note: even when (as grad student) I worked as a dishwasher at a US (much more lawsuit-crazy than UK) university, I didn't consider it an issue that cleaning some of the dishes involved scrubbing off pork or beef (latter anathema to most Hindus--which I was at the time) products.

If Khoja doesn't want to handle pork at all, then he should cater only to Muslim organisations!

Edited November 4, 2008 by CherryXS

[almaty 19]

good point brother sriniv