A Muslim sales executive who was offered alcohol as a sales incentive is suing his employer for religious discrimination. In the first case of its kind under the new anti-discrimination laws, Imran Khan claimed Direct Line insurance offered no alternative to wine as a reward for selling pet and household insurance policies.
Khan said offering alcohol, which Muslims are forbidden to drink, put him at a disadvantage to his colleagues.
Khan told a tribunal hearing that he had expressed his concerns in several grievance meetings at the Bristol firm between August and October last year, although he did not request alternative bonuses, but began legal proceedings.
Team leader Louise Cummings told the tribunal she had offered the bottles of wine on two occasions to improve staff morale and performance. She added: “It’s very difficult choosing a prize that everyone is happy with.”
The tribunal panel has reserved judgement on the case for two weeks.
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