The Provincial Council of Albacete (Diputación de Albacete) has implemented an unprecedented measure in its public examination processes. This act will safeguard the right to equal opportunity for two candidates seeking positions as mechanic-driver-firefighters within the Special Fire Prevention and Extinction Service (Sepei). Both applicants are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a faith group that observes the Sabbath as a holy day of rest, which occurs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
Accommodation Protocol for Sabbath Observance
Because the official examinations are scheduled for Saturday, June 13, both candidates are required to report to the testing site at 17:30, alongside the other 57 applicants. Following identity verification, the two individuals will be placed in isolation in a designated room until sunset, which the National Geographic Institute (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) estimates will occur at approximately 21:30. This arrangement entails a four-hour waiting period prior to beginning the examination.
During this period, the candidates will be monitored by two court-appointed invigilators who have no prior knowledge of the exam content. Furthermore, the candidates must strictly adhere to the standard examination regulations, which prohibit the possession of any electronic devices, including mobile phones, computers, smartwatches, and tablets.
Legal Framework and Constitutional Compliance
Fran Valera, the Deputy of Personnel, acknowledged the historic nature of this decision for the local administration:
"To my knowledge, this is the first time such an accommodation has been made in a public examination within this institution. However, the law is explicit, and the principle of non-discrimination is enshrined in the Constitution; there is absolutely no ambiguity on this matter."
The measure is legally grounded in Article 12.3 of Law 24/1992. Following sunset, the two candidates will take the theoretical component of the examination in a classroom at the Melchor de Macanaz building, located within the Faculty of Economics at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM). To ensure objectivity, their completed exams will be anonymized using the standard sealed-envelope system (sistema de plicas) and processed alongside those of the other applicants.
To read the original article, please go here.
