Sunday question

Local councillor David Calvert said he was told by the council’s Chief Recreation Officer that anyone not willing to work on a Sunday was automatically not considered for a job even if the facility wasn’t open on a Sunday or likely to be for the foreseeable future.

Councillor Calvert said the question is asked if they would work on a Sunday and if they don’t then they jeopardise their chances of getting the job.

“Many of the facilities are closed on Sunday. It isn’t necessary to work on a Sunday and not necessary to ask this question.”

He added that if they had religious beliefs about not working on a Sunday then they would be discriminated against.

Councillor Philip Black took a slightly different view, however, saying it would be unwise to curtail the area of questions that might be asked in job interviews.

Mr Calvert then told the council what the Recreation Officer had told him, stating that because more people were willing to work on a Sunday than not, those who weren’t were being discriminated against.

He said: “We must safeguard the interests of those who want to work in the recreation field but because of their convictions do not want to work on a Sunday.”

The matter was deferred until the Chief Recreation Officer was available to clarify the issue.