Christian Sainsbury’s worker claims she was fired after refusing to work Sunday mornings

BY : Staff writer Christian Today

A former Sainsbury’s worker is claiming “unfair dismissal” after allegedly losing her job for refusing to work on Sunday mornings.

Jacqueline Rendell claims she was let go by the supermarket chain after she refused demands to work every Sunday morning, reports Kent Online.

She worked as a trading assistant at a store in Whitstable at the time and had been employed by Sainsbury’s for 20 years.

An employment tribunal has heard that when she was offered a new contract in October 2021, the schedule required her to work every Sunday, which would have prevented her from being able to attend service at her church.

She says her proposal of entering into a job share arrangement with a colleague to get around the timetable clash was rejected by Sainsbury’s.

Sainsbury’s representatives said during a hearing last week that the change to her schedule was required because of staff shortages, and that budgetary constraints meant that they could not hire at the time.

They also told the hearing that Mrs Rendell had declined offers of alternative positions. Mrs Rendell said they were unsuitable, with one requiring her to travel too far.

Judgment has been reserved and is expected to be handed down in the coming weeks.

Sainsbury’s has been contacted for comment.

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