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| Christian Celestina Mba loses Sunday shifts appeal | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Christian care worker who claimed she was forced to leave her job after refusing to work Sundays because of her faith has lost her legal appeal. | A Christian care worker who claimed she was forced to leave her job after refusing to work Sundays because of her faith has lost her legal appeal. |
| Celestina Mba, 58, from south London, told Merton Council she was unable to work Sundays before accepting a job. | Celestina Mba, 58, from south London, told Merton Council she was unable to work Sundays before accepting a job. |
| Ms Mba claims she was later told she had to work full weekend shifts and resigned in 2010. | Ms Mba claims she was later told she had to work full weekend shifts and resigned in 2010. |
| She took her case to the Court of Appeal after a tribunal ruled that she was not constructively dismissed. | She took her case to the Court of Appeal after a tribunal ruled that she was not constructively dismissed. |
| 'Rest and pray' | |
| Ms Mba, a Baptist Christian, had argued she should not have to work on Sundays and be free to obey the Fourth Commandment in the Bible - to rest and pray on the Sabbath. | |
| She asked three Court of Appeal judges to overturn the previous employment appeal tribunal decision. | |
| The appeal judges, Lord Justice Maurice Kay, Lord Justice Elias and Lord Justice Vos, ruled the tribunal had to some extent erred in law but said this did not mean that Ms Mba's appeal should be allowed. | |
| Ms Mba worked with children with severe learning difficulties at Brightwell Respite Care House in Morden for three years. | |
| She had told the tribunal she was prepared to work night shifts and on Saturdays, or to have accepted less pay, to be able to observe Sunday as a day of rest. | |
| However, the council said it had a duty to ensure children had weekend care and there was no viable alternative. |