Daria is Christian. Radam is Muslim. Sarah is Jewish. What do these three people have in common? They have beliefs in a higher being. They are also humans in this thing we call life who work regular jobs and do regular work. They are polite, professional and courteous. Each one believes in a different way in their way that there is something more to the creation and none of them are ashamed of that. In today’s workplace though, this can be met with opposition and in some cases be deemed as crossing the line if their religions are discussed in the workplace.
So how can each of these three employees stay true to what they believe in as well as make sure they aren’t seen as distributing religious paraphernalia or trying to recruit others in the workplace to believe what they believe? Do they have rights to their own religious freedom outside the confines of their own homes and religious sanctuaries? Are employers on the hook to respect that fact that some employees can or cannot do certain things because of what their religions deem as appropriate? If Radam needs a place to pray 5 times a day, does his job have to make this accommodation for him? What if the other employees object to the accommodations an employer decides to put in place because they think it is favoritism?
Questions like those noted above come up all the time with employers. Sadly, there are times when an employer may not know the difference between an employee pretends to claim a religious preference and needs an accommodation from the one who is actually entitled to it. Fortunately, the EEOC (equal employment opportunity commission ) has spelled out some guidelines to help both employees and employers figure out how to handle requests for religious accommodations. Rooted in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 employment discrimination based on religious preference is prohibited. Employers can give accommodations; however, the guidelines specifically note that the employer does not have to do more than what would be considered as a minimal burden or undue hardship on the company.
How can you help in these situations? If you or another employee has a need based on religion, it’s not as hard to make basic accommodations as many think. It is certainly an issue if there is clear discrimination based on their religious affiliation and employers need to be careful. One of the best ways to deal with instances is to consult with an employment law attorney and include what you are able to include in your employee handbook. To ensure that people are treated fairly and employers are also fairly the best way to advocate for fair religious accommodations is to work with local labor laws and ensure you know your rights.T he EEOC is also a great resource for anyone with questions.
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