While Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 doesn't go as far as encompassing sports as a religion, the EEOC does define religions as including religious beliefs that are new or uncommon, not part of a formal church or sect, only subscribed to by a small number of people, or illogical or unreasonable to others. Whatever adjustments need to be made, you can count on me to do everything I can to cooperate fully. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). Request for Accommodation of Religious Practice SAMPLE 1. If a religious accommodation infringes on co-workers' ability to perform their tasks or creates a hostile work environment the accommodation will likely qualify as an undue hardship and therefore not a reasonable accommodation. Given ongoing construction in our building and increased dust from it, my allergy symptoms have greatly increased. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. The Department of the Air Force is processing a number of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. Describe what you expect this reasonable accommodation to be. }, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly. State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. As part of our commitment to diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination, the University makes good faith efforts to reconcile potential conflicts between an individuals strongly heldreligious, spiritual or philosophicalbeliefs and university work or academic requirements. [2]It is important for student affairs representatives, faculty, human resources, and supervisors to recognize a request and to refer the student or employee to OIE to initiate the interactive process. }\_e1~PyxxC|~t#;w#~0?Op|*h UAYIcW_}qWXz.fqw~zyW4iqCg+ty{%45&r4ZU PtYI}H{R=PRI^K$L*)W[XRdY\v 6jTl.e>A(SO>=q&>y$%\5/X1,oFfs5y4"]bu{HcO&9YEK~)1)r% m!xb11L kTIOrc~?(w4"9qoPA In addition, it . You are exclusively responsible and bear all risks associated with any user-generated content you submit or read. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further at your convenience. [Company name] (the Company) has engaged in good faith written and/or oral communications So you can pray. Thank you for considering my request. Please contact dining@jhu.edu or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the Site. The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. University of Washington Religious Accommodations Policy. The requestor will be informed in writing of the decision to grant or deny the request, and of any conditions or limitations placed on the grant. Embed Request Forms in Your Site. The point of dedicating a page for accommodation requests is for your client to know your business more intimately like they know every inch of their personality. 02. Religious beliefs are one freedom protected in the workplace by Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964. whether the employee requesting a religious accommodation to a Covid-19 vaccination requirement works outdoors or indoors; whether the employee works in a solitary or group work setting, or has . 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000 Examples of Accommodations We strive to be creative and flexible in arriving at a reasonable accommodation. To permit me to have Sabbath off once or twice a month would not suffice as a reasonable accommodation, since it would still force me to choose between my religion and my job. . After you complete your submission, you will receive automated responses and updates from the system as your documents or exception requests are processed by the John Hopkins Exception Review Team.If you have questions or concerns, please contactoie@jhu.edu. Request for Religious Accommodation . CBP Applicant: An applicant requesting religious accommodation for any stage of the application process must submit a request for religious accommodation to the Indianapolis or Minneapolis Hiring Center, as applicable. The Interactive Process is the way in which employees, supervisors, and their departments arrive at a reasonable accommodation. This includes people who belong to traditional, organized religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism or Sikhism, as well as people who have newer or less common religious beliefs, and atheists. The University may request the student provide information to support the need for an accommodation based on the student's sincerely held religious belief. OIE may need to discuss the nature of the religious belief(s, practice(s), and accommodation(s) with a student or employee's spiritual leader (if applicable) or religious or philosophy scholars to address the request for an exception. 01. Workplace distractions interfere with my concentration and focus so I would like to try noise cancelling headphones to minimize sound distractions. Your address I would like to request for accommodations to help decrease the pain caused by my back condition. Sign it in a few clicks According to company policy at {Company Name}, I am required to {participate in function/religious event, follow certain dress codes, work on certain days, work certain hours, etc.}. It is difficult to say with certainty how long it can take to process requests, as many factors could impact timing (i.e., volume, complexity and availability of the student for follow up questions and/or their ability to timely provide supporting documentation). The employer shouldn't assume there is an undue hardship or automatically reject the requested accommodation but engage in a conversation with the employee about accommodation, Bunting said. $(document).ready(function () { Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to engage in an interactive process. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. The EEOC published a sample form that employers can use for religious accommodation requests from workers, which have risen as Covid-19 vaccine mandates proliferate in the workplace. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter DATE EMPLOYER NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE RE: (YOUR NAME) Dear (NAME): I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. Ths request should include relevant information such as: Once a request is submitted, the University Chaplain will initiate an interactive process to determine if the request can be accommodated as requested and, if not, what, if any, alternative arrangements can be made. Religious accommodations can take many forms. At JAN, I often discuss options with employees about what might be useful to include and how to clearly explain what accommodation is needed. If an employee asks for time off on Saturdays to attend a religious service but also is known to attend a drag racing club then, the employer can push back and ask if the worker will attend the religious service or the drag race. 11/2/21 Updated religious exemption template Attached is a sample template that can be modified for your use as your prepare your employee religious exemption. An employer violated federal law when it refused to grant an employee an exemption from its mandatory flu shot policy without a note from a clergy leader, the federal government has alleged in a . However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. A reasonable religious academic/workplace accommodation is a change in the academic/work environment or in the way academics, tasks or responsibilities are customarily done that enables a student orfaculty/staff[1]to participate in theirreligious practice or belief without undue hardship on the conduct of theUniversity's business or operation. Religious Accommodation Request Resolution Employee (identified below) has requested an accommodation related to a religious belief, practice, and/or requirement. It's been wonderful working here, everyone is very supporting and company really acknowledges employees work. This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. (3) A request for the accommodation of religious practices may be granted in whole or in part. %PDF-1.3 A final thing to remember is that, as stated, while it is your right to have these accommodations made where possible, you must formally request them. In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . The extent to which an employer must accommodate an employees religious objection to taking a vaccine will be dependent on the specific circumstances of the employment.. This is a matter of considerable importance and urgency to me. Homewood Housing Requests:The university recognizes that student observance of their faith may require special consideration for housing assignments. Employers can request additional information when religious accommodations are requested, Bunting noted. Employee Flu Vaccine ExceptionRequests:Whenever possible, employees should submit vaccine exceptionrequests to OIE at least 30 days in advance of Johns Hopkins Medicine Compliance Deadlines and OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. a permanent position. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. You can also download it, export it or print it out. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Ramadan Meal Options:Hopkins Dining is happy to add additional services and holiday specific menu items for students during Ramadan. Consider the request. An employer must try to arrange to allow the employee to meet these religious obligations. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. I have joined the office 5 months ago. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. These beliefs must be sincerely held, and an individuals pattern of conduct consistent with those beliefs will help to prove that they are sincerely held. If there are any other ideas or options that you could provide it would be greatly appreciated. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. If an employer has tried everything else, unpaid leave is acceptable. temp_style.textContent = '.ms-rtestate-field > p:first-child.is-empty.d-none, .ms-rtestate-field > .fltter .is-empty.d-none, .ZWSC-cleaned.is-empty.d-none {display:block !important;}'; 6. I therefore respectfully request that you make an accommodation for my religious belief, observance, and practice in keeping with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the guidelines of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by allowing me to leave work on the Fridays in question just prior to sundown. employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption A request for a religious accommodation for housing must document: A request for a religious accommodation for dining must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. For that reason, I am requesting a religious accommodation, under Title VII and any similar [state where employer located] state law (s), that will excuse me from having to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and further request that no adverse employment action be taken against me on account of my religious beliefs. If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. More than 10,000 requests from across the Total Force have been received, of which approximately 2,100 have been disapproved due to military readiness considerations. This letter is in reply to your request for accommodation approval. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); First-Year Residential Students Living on Campus: You can sign up for a kosher meal plan while registering for housing the summer before you arrive on campus.Second-Year Resident Students Living in McCoyor Charles Commons: You can sign up for a kosher meal plan while registering for housing the spring of your first year.Second-year Residential Students Living in Homewood Apartments, Bradford, or Rogerss House: You can sign up for a kosher meal plan while registering for housing the spring of your first year or by signing up for meal plans on theHousing Portal.Upperclassmen and Off-Campus Students: You can enroll for a Kosher meal plan on theHousing Portal by logging in with your JHED. (1) Observances of Worship and Holy Days. Bunting recalled one employee who claimed that being a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles was a religion and he needed Sundays off. {Your Name} Bunting concluded by outlining best practices to follow when handling religious accommodation requests: If an employee rejects a good accommodation that an employer has offered, "you're golden," Bunting said. We have reviewed the attached case file and recommend action on SSgt Alpha's request for religious accommodation from compliance with Air Force grooming standards be deferred pending his imminent transfer of duty stations. For religious exemptions toimmunization requirements, students should submit along with their requests: Please email your request, your letter to President Burwell, andaletter from a leader of your faith community (or a request for consultation with the University Chaplain)to president@american.edu. Although a manager may consider it reasonable to permit me to have, say, every other Saturday off work, this would not actually accommodate my belief, since I cannot work on any Sabbath. Other objective reasons that the employer has to believe the requested accommodation isn't being sought for religious reasons. In order to retain my integrity in Sabbath observance, it is important that I be allowed to leave work each Friday just prior to sunset. I identify as an observing [religious affiliation], and I am writing to request that you make accommodation for my religious observance this semester in accordance with the college's attendance policy. Example Letter "Religious Reasonable Accompaniment Form" Please print or type the enclosed Letter, and attach it to the Religious Reasonable Accommodation form and fax it to: New Jersey Department of Corrections. "Try your hardest to accommodate. Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . The Orthodox Union certifies the Kosher program and offers lunch and dinner Sundays through Thursdays and lunch on Fridays. SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference, Montana's governor made vaccination status a protected category, How to Push Back on Religious Accommodation Requests, New OSHA Guidance Clarifies Return-to-Work Expectations, Trump Suspends New H-1B Visas Through 2020, Faking COVID-19 Illness Can Have Serious Consequences, White House Takes Action Against Migrant Child Labor, Antisemitism Fears, Incidents Are Rising in the US, Federal Lawmakers Propose Ban on Noncompete Agreements. Pursuant to DoDI 1300.17, Accommodation of The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has excellent regulations and a compliance manual with lots of information and suggestions for how someone, like myself, can be accommodated. He has requested a schedule that would accommodate his religious observance of . Religious Exemption Letter. 2. Please give this request consideration at your earliest convenience. Model Letter: Requesting Religious Accommodation in the Face of COVID-19 Vaccine Workplace Mandate Dear [Name of Human Resources Officer or other appropriate supervisor]: On [set forth date], I and other employees of [name of employer] were notified that all employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof or face % Hiring and Staffing Dept. If students are sabbath-observant, they must make this fact known to their professors for any course in which Saturday work is required. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. We have noticed that many brethren in Canada and elsewhere are facing the loss of employment for their unwillingness to comply with recent vaccine mandates in the workplace. Exploring Religious Accommodation OptionsOIE will consider reasonable religious accommodation requests on a case?by?case basis and consider factors, including but not limited to the: OIE will endeavor to protect the requesting student or employees privacy in evaluating and processing the accommodation to the greatest extent possible. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { The Office of the University Chaplain has communicated to the faculty via the Provosts office a list of major religious holy days. You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your . The most effective way to monitor religious accommodations is to encourage ongoing communication.Religious accommodations remain in effect through the date included on the approval letter unless the student or employee is notified by the University of a change. Be aware of differences in state law. But for employees who need more ideas, the following examples offer additional guidance about how to communicate the need for an accommodation for various types of medical conditions. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ Religious Accommodation Request Form A reasonable religious accommodation is a change in the work environment or in the way tasks or responsibilities are customarily done that enables an employee to participate in their religious practice or belief without undue hardship on the conduct of the university's business or operation. A quick Q & A on religious exemptions. General Information Catalog IT Policies, Standards, and Guidelines c. Types of Accommodation Requests. The policy guarantees that you are not unduly prevented from observing your religious practice; it does not necessarily guarantee the observance of that practice at a particular time or in a particular location (e.g. Your signature There are also Kosher retail items available for purchase at theCharles Street Market (Char Mar). You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. The Justice Centre does not have a standard template to address such individual beliefs. PO Box 81489 Middlesex, NJ 08 Fax Number: Your accommodation request will be reviewed by your . Reasonable religious accommodation requests will be made on a casebycase basis taking into account factors including but not limited to: nature of the accommodation requested; duration of the request; timeliness of the request; alternative accommodations; financial impact; academic impact; and other related factors. Dear Sir, With utmost respect and honor, it is stated that I work at your renowned company under customer representative designation. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. It is your responsibility to make sure your employer has received the letter, and it is your responsibility to follow it up to make sure that your requested changes have been made. It was created to assist you while you are recovering. Treat every employee's reasonable accommodation request as legitimate on its face. Subject: Religious Accommodation for [Course Number]. An applicant or employee may need a reasonable accommodation (a change to the way things are normally done at work) so he can practice or observe his religion. SPOKANE, Wash - State employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine now have a way to request religious and medical exemptions. And, it is also for encouraging and enticing your clients to visit your place of business as well. info@eeoc.gov Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why. If it would be easier, I would be happy to talk with you about this further in person or by phone. Ask your manager to meet with you. These may prove helpful to consult. I would be a violation of my deeply held sincere religious conviction to work on Sabbath--the 24 hour period from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. Because many people still do not want to be vaccinated, a number of websites have . A letter from a religious leader of the faith community to which the student is a member stating the need for an exemption. An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. The other employees may wind up leaving due to the extra workload. Explain that, under the doctrine of a certain belief in your religion, you cannot perform certain actions, such as shaving your beard or working on Sundays, for example. REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION / ACCOMMODATION RELATED TO [COMPANY NAME'S] COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY by offering opportunities for discussion, reminding people of available support services, and leading at a difficult time with compassion and empathy. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. (Note: This is a sample letter giving you a few theological reasons to help you with Biblical reasons to back up your claim for an exemption. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. A commander may require immediate compliance of an approved accommodation only under exigent circumstances and in furtherance of a compelling government interest due to operational necessity,. For instance, if you are unable to work on a Sunday, offer to work on a different unpopular shift instead, so that your colleagues are not disproportionately disadvantaged by your request either. Submission of the completed form will be treated as a request for a disability accommodation and evaluated and decided under applicable Rehabilitation Act standards for reasonable accommodation absent undue hardship to the agency. Your printed name. An employer doesn't have to provide a religious accommodation if it poses an undue hardship to a business. Edit your religious accommodation approval letter online Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. {Your Loan #}. I am writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. SAMPLE REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION [EMPLOYMENT] Dear [HR Department]: [Employer] has directed me to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine, or suffer adverse employment action, up to and including termination. This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. Find your nearest EEOC office If employers get an accommodation request from a believer in a religion that is so obscure there's no faith leader, Bunting recommended asking the employee to e-mail HR a paragraph describing why . Questions #1-7: Basic Information Questions 1 - 7 require . Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. For example. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. Don't, for example, automatically laugh when an employee says he or she is a follower of the Jedi.