religious accommodation request letter sample

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. The Justice Centre does not have a standard template to address such individual beliefs. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Please log in as a SHRM member. Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. Employee requests for religious accommodation at work are not always handled appropriately; take, for instance, Ashanti McShan's case. employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption General Information Catalog IT Policies, Standards, and Guidelines What should I do if an applicant or employee asks for breaks, leave or other changes to a work situation because of his medical condition or his religious beliefs? 1/9/2019 Employer Address City, State, Zip Code RE: Accommodation for Religious Belief and Practice Dear (HR Person's Name): I am writing this letter on behalf of your employee, xxxxxx, who is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. RA ensures equal opportunity in the job application, examination, and hiring processes that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to participate in those processes, and perform the essential functions of the job. Particular considerations for different accommodation types include: A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. You cannot, in other words, expect an employer or any other form of organization to guess what your religious beliefs are, and to put the appropriate measures in place. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must document: a description of the accommodation you are requesting; LockA locked padlock Treat every employee's reasonable accommodation request as legitimate on its face. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); 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. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? 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. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. 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. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors. 3. Bunting recalled one employee who claimed that being a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles was a religion and he needed Sundays off. Should you have any questions about the reasoning or observance of this [name of religious holiday], please feel free to contact Hierald Osorto, Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, at [email protected]. I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. Homewood Housing Requests:The university recognizes that student observance of their faith may require special consideration for housing assignments. PO Box 81489 Middlesex, NJ 08 Fax Number: Your accommodation request will be reviewed by your . An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. However, unless the disability or the need for accommodation is obvious, it is the . 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. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) Employer Letter Example: Vaccine Mandate Objection No authorship claim or copyright asserted.A letter that also came to me via a route like a letter in a bottle. For example, if someone wants to wear long, loose-fitting religious attire near a bagel slicer, the employer might decline the request, but try to find another position for the worker away from the bagel slicer. In order to establish the existence of a religious objection, it will be necessary for the individual to have specific religious beliefs which would be violated in a non-trivial way by receiving a particular vaccine. 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. For instance, your company may have a certain dress code that you cannot adhere to, expect you to work on what is classed as a day of rest in your religion, and so on. } "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. Bunting noted that companies that previously placed employees on unpaid leave when they declined COVID-19 vaccinations for religious reasons are now bringing them back to the workplace. student affairs representatives, faculty, managers, and/or supervisors) who participated in the interactive process. 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 "Try your hardest to accommodate. Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. An official website of the United States government. Canadian law grants protection to an individuals personal religious beliefs which are sincerely held, regardless of whether those beliefs are adhered to by others or even by the faith community to which the individual belongs. I would like to request for accommodations to help decrease the pain caused by my back condition. Given ongoing construction in our building and increased dust from it, my allergy symptoms have greatly increased. Sincerely, how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Don't, for example, automatically laugh when an employee says he or she is a follower of the Jedi. 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. An employer doesn't have to provide a religious accommodation if it poses an undue hardship to a business. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { 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 [email protected]. Questions #1-7: Basic Information Questions 1 - 7 require . Individuals covered by the federal vaccination mandate currently impacting nine Penn State campuses who believe that their sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances prevent them from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, may complete an online accommodation request form on or before Nov. 5. The Office of the University Chaplain has communicated to the faculty via the Provosts office a list of major religious holy days. 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.}. If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. She had just been hired as a cashier at the fast-food restaurant. For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. 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. 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. For instance, state that there is a company policy in place that requires you to do certain things that are not acceptable within your religion. Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures, File a Discrimination and Harassment Report, ADA Compliance and Disability Accommodations, Accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, Faculty and Staff Workplace Accommodations, Faculty and Staff Workplace Accommodation RequestForm, Documentation Guidelines for Individuals with Disabilities, Pre-Entrance Health Requirement Deadlines, Homewood Campus: University Housing Religious Accommodation Request Form. Model Letter: Requesting Religious Accommodation in the Face of COVID-19 Vaccine Workplace Mandate For good or bad, COVID-19 has changed the way we navigate the world and the way in which "we the people" exercise our rights. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. 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. Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. 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 letter from a religious leader of the faith community to which the student is a member stating the need for an exemption. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. This sample letter can be used to ask your employer or prospective workplace for reasonable accommodations you need in the hiring process or for your job. The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. Housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs may limit occupancy to members as. Implementing the Religious AccommodationTo communicate the final accommodation, OIE will issue in writing a religious accommodation approval letter to the employee or student, and copy those relevant individuals (i.e. Upon approval of a request for a religious exemption to immunization, the student may be asked to sign a release acknowledging that in the event of an outbreak, the student may face particular restrictions regarding classes, housing, or other activities. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); I have joined the office 5 months ago. If accommodation is easy, do it," said Kelly Dobbs Bunting, an attorney with Greenberg Traurig in Philadelphia, speaking at the SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference 2022on March 30 in Washington, D.C. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000 {Your Phone #} Other objective reasons that a request isn't for religious reasons might include if the worker says he or she only puts organic substances into his or her body, defining organic substances as those that come from dirt. Washington, DC 20507 There are also Kosher retail items available for purchase at theCharles Street Market (Char Mar). Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. 2000(e) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for employees religious observances. Dear Boss, First, I request a religious exemption. Requests for accommodation should be made at the earliest opportunity once a student has become aware that a conflict exists. I have pain in my lower back. I do not wish to have a conflict between my job duties and my obligations to God. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. [email protected] The VMS will be accessible via the myJH portal when it goes live on July 1. It has become more difficult to breathe while in the office, even in my own personal office. Your signature Employer's address. 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. Work on Sunday or holidays in place of Saturday. A lock ( State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted. If there are any other ideas or options that you could provide it would be greatly appreciated. Requests for religious accommodations must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering the unique facts; the nature of the requested religious accommodation; the effect of approval or denial on the Service member's exercise of religion; and the effect of approval or denial on mission accomplishment, including unit cohesion. Recognizing a Religious Accommodation RequestThe Office of Institutional Equity ("OIE") receives and reviews all religious accommodation requests, including but not limited to vaccine exceptionrequests. Religious Accommodation Request - Template Back Top I will be very grateful if you could assist me in achieving a suitable schedule to avoid such a conflict. 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. Please note that accommodation requests received past the deadline will not be considered until afterhousing assignments are determined. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. Religious accommodation is covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why. As this would cause minimal burden for only minor {rescheduling, uniform changes, etc. The purpose of an accommodation request is to allow the requesting employee to perform certain job duties, either in their current role or in a position they are seeking. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). 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. Implementing the Religious Accommodation 01. I realize the need for this requested accommodation is still a few months away, but I wanted to make arrangements in advance so that we can discuss it and plan. Inconsistent behavior with the professed belief. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's template is the same one the agency uses for its own employees, and was part of a Thursday update to . Pursuant to DoDI 1300.17, Accommodation of 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. As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. Similarly, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires an employer to accommodate an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs or practices unless . I am informed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce such samples in any other way (e.g., to republish in a book or use for a commercial purpose) without SHRMs permission. Employers can request additional information when religious accommodations are requested, Bunting noted. Requested accommodations vary - an employee may need a particular day off each year for a religious holiday; or to refrain from work every week on his or her Sabbath; or to wear religious garb; or to have a place to pray. Would you please let me know in the next week? Dear Sir, With utmost respect and honor, it is stated that I work at your renowned company under customer representative designation. In some cases, OIE may need to obtain additional information and/or documentation about the student or employee's religious or spiritual practice(s) or belief(s). 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. Change employee to a shift or department that does not operate on Friday night or Saturday. Please bear in mind that I do not request to have the Sabbath off in order to have an extra day at home to catch up on odd jobs or to engage in recreation or amusements. Employees may also request workplace adjustments based on other COVID-19 circumstances not related to being in the increased risk category. There are many types of accommodations. 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. In Exodus 20, the Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and to refrain from work on that day. At JAN, I often discuss options with employees about what might be useful to include and how to clearly explain what accommodation is needed. Attach a copy of the policy, highlighting the issue at hand. (1) Observances of Worship and Holy Days. CO/OICs will accommodate . 2. It's been wonderful working here, everyone is very supporting and company really acknowledges employees work. Examples of possible . As a starting point, JAN offers general guidance about writing an accommodation request letter, which lays out possible elements to include in the body of the letter. Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . Please contact [email protected] or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. I would like to suggest the following accommodations to address this issue: Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. (800) 526-7234 (Voice) | (877) 781-9403 (TTY) | Employer Live Chat, Home| About| For Employers| For Individuals| For Others| On Demand, Feedback| Accessibility| Copyright| Disclaimer| Privacy, Examples of Accommodation Request Letters, Personal air purifier (for my office) and air filters (for HVAC), or. 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 includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. The University may request the student provide information to support the need for an accommodation based on the student's sincerely held religious belief. Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. 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. T hank you for considering my request. The EEOC, which enforces Title VII and recently updated its pandemic guidance on vaccine exemptions, defines religion in the workplace bias context as firmly and sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs. The need for religious accommodation may arise where an individual's religious beliefs, observances or practices conflict with a specific task or requirement of the position or an application process . I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . 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). 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. I would also be open to any other suggestions that you might have. I have been having medical issues that have affected my mood, sleep schedule, concentration, and focus. For example, if an employer has to hire a temporary worker to cover Saturdays for an employee who misses shifts then for religious reasons, there might be an undue hardship in accommodating the employee, she said. Since our company operates on the basis of a five-day workweek, Monday through Friday, there has not been any problem in my work schedule regarding having the hours of the Sabbath off.

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