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 . If employees have submitted a request for reasonable or religious accommodation due to the inability to comply with mandatory testing, they may request permission to remain off work, using their own leave credits or . 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. Employees may also request workplace adjustments based on other COVID-19 circumstances not related to being in the increased risk category. This isn't really a religious request, so the employer can push back and request a letter from a faith leader, she said. 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. Embed Request Forms in Your Site. Describe what you expect this reasonable accommodation to be. Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
Companies, however, have a leg up on public-sector employers when it comes to dealing with religious challenges to vaccine mandates. 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. 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. Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why. 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. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. 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. The interactive process starts when a student or employeesubmits a religious accommodation request. Religious Accommodation Request Resolution Employee (identified below) has requested an accommodation related to a religious belief, practice, and/or requirement. General Information Catalog IT Policies, Standards, and Guidelines 5. {Your Name} This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the 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. 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. For instance, you may ask for a shift swap, provide a substitute, or ask them to waive the requirement in full. 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. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. I am a practicing member of {Religion}. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000
The hiring manager had assured her that [] Would you please let me know in the next week? All content available on or through samplehardshipletter.org is for general information purposes only. If you wish to submit proof of your COVID-19 vaccination or request a religious exception for the COVID-19 vaccine requirement, please do so via the Universitys Vaccine Management System (VMS) that will launch on July 1, 2021. document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. 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. 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. "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. Employer's name Whatever adjustments need to be made, you can count on me to do everything I can to cooperate fully. At JAN, I often discuss options with employees about what might be useful to include and how to clearly explain what accommodation is needed. In Exodus 20, the Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and to refrain from work on that day. Work a flexible schedule so that the employee can leave the job on Friday afternoon before sundown, to permit time to travel home before Sabbath begins. I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. To help our brethren who may need support in writing a letter to establish a religious objection, we have created aReligious Accommodation Requesttemplate that can be used and modified to suit individual circumstances. Student Vaccine ExceptionRequests:Whenever possible, students should submit vaccine exceptionrequests to OIE at least 30 days in advance of Pre-Entrance Health Requirement Deadlines and OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. The other employees may wind up leaving due to the extra workload. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. Ashanti McShan, a 17-year old high-school student, was excited about her first day of work at Burger King. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. I will be very grateful if you could assist me in achieving a suitable schedule to avoid such a conflict. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. Find your nearest EEOC office
Thank you for considering my request. student affairs representatives, faculty, managers, and/or supervisors) who participated in the interactive process. 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. information only on official, secure websites. 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. The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. She had just been hired as a cashier at the fast-food restaurant. 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. Hiring and Staffing Dept. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){
Your printed name. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Sample Accommodation Request Letter. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase();
Below is a guide with suggestions and sample answers to help you complete your COVID vaccine religious exemption request using the Department of Defense 'DD 3177 Religious Exemption Form' along with notes to help you avoid the obvious "pitfalls" weaved into this document to undermine your ability to obtain a religious exemption. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. 3 0 obj (3) A request for the accommodation of religious practices may be granted in whole or in part. Edit your religious accommodation approval letter online Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. 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,. a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. The description of the [modified/alternate] employment is as follows (include description of accommodation here): This is a temporary accommodation, not. {Your Phone #} This is a matter of considerable importance and urgency to me. << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> . 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. In addition, it . 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. I am informed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. If there are any other ideas or options that you could provide it would be greatly appreciated. 2000(e) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for employees religious observances. The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. For example, an applicant may ask to reschedule an interview that is on a religious holiday or an employee may request an exception to a "no hats" rule to wear a religious head covering, such as a yarmulke or hijab. Avoid application of punitive leave policies. Ask your manager to meet with you. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. This letter is in reply to your request for accommodation approval. a description of the accommodation you are requesting; the reason you need an accommodation; and. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. 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. He has requested a schedule that would accommodate his religious observance of . 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. Employees requesting a religious accommodation shall immediately contact their local Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator. If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. [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. 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 the worker needs to be accommodated for religious reasons, judging its sincerity and, if determined to be sincere, granting the accommodation. I am writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. Contact the University Chaplains Office only if there is a conflict in making the accommodations for a religious/cultural observance. Given ongoing construction in our building and increased dust from it, my allergy symptoms have greatly increased. SAMPLE REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION [STUDENT] Dear [School Administration]: [School] has issued a directive requiring me, a student enrolled in [school] [or, if the student is a minor, my child [name of student], a student enrolled in [school],] to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. There are many types of accommodations. Sign it in a few clicks Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . Treat every employee's reasonable accommodation request as legitimate on its face. I would like to work with you to explore how I can meet the requirements of your course while still honoring my religious practice. 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. (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. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further at your convenience. Inconsistent behavior with the professed belief. Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . Dear Sir, With utmost respect and honor, it is stated that I work at your renowned company under customer representative designation. Step 4. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. Monitoring the Religious AccommodationBecause changes occur, student affairs representatives and employers may need to periodically check on the ongoing effectiveness of religious accommodations. Given the current labor shortage, the employer might not want to lose the employee or have the worker complain about the company on social media, she added. 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. To have your request for a religious academic/workplace accommodation considered, please review the following process: 1. 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 . 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. It has become more difficult to breathe while in the office, even in my own personal office. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). I have the interest of the company at heart. the type of workplace and the nature of the employee's duties, including whether the employee requesting a religious accommodation to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement works outdoors or indoors . Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Depending on the circumstances, some examples of workplace accommodations may include: providing a woven cloth mask or personal protective equipment (PPE); physical distancing or modifying the work environment; modifying work schedules; This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. If an employer has tried everything else, unpaid leave is acceptable. Implementing the Religious Accommodation State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted. 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. I am willing to come to work earlier on Fridays, come to work on Sunday, or to cooperate in whatever arrangements may need to be made so I can retain my Sabbath observance according to my convictions. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other requirement. 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. Religious Exemption Letter. Explain that you would like an accommodation to allow you to practice your religion at work. Send religious accommodation letter sample via email, link, or fax. 3. PO Box 81489 Middlesex, NJ 08 Fax Number: Your accommodation request will be reviewed by your . Sabbath observance is so important to Adventists that it is part of our churchs name, i.e., Seventh-day.. Here in Canada the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) offers this advice: The religious objections held by individuals to specific vaccines will vary significantly. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. 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. Accordingly, employers should treat religious exemption requests with care and consistency, as a matter of law and respect for your employees.Requesting a religious exemption is not a free pass, though. These may prove helpful to consult. 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. Don't, for example, automatically laugh when an employee says he or she is a follower of the Jedi. Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? As such, I am unable to {work on Sunday mornings, shave my beard, etc.}. If an employee is resisting an employer-required COVID-19 vaccine because it was derived from fetal cell lines, the employer might ask whether the employee has received a flu vaccine or has ever taken a medication that was similarly createdand there are many, including aspirin. Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. Sample Email - Religious Accommodation Request. 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? A medical certification of both the underlying health condition and the necessity of an accommodation would likely be needed to support a request to be excused from a masking requirement. An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. I have pain in my lower back. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. As you consider these examples, you may find it helpful to review How to Disclose a Disability and Request Accommodations in the Workplace on JANs page for Individuals, which also provides more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 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. (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. For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. Housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs may limit occupancy to members as. Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. 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. A request for a religious accommodation for dining must document: As with housing and dining accommodations, medical accommodations should be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. I observe the seventh-day of the week (Saturday) as the Sabbath as taught by my church in harmony with the Old and New Testament teachings of the Bible. 01. SPOKANE, Wash - State employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine now have a way to request religious and medical exemptions. I often suggest employees consider making a written request so they can decide what to say and how to say it without the stress of a face-to-face meeting with their employer. Your session has expired. 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.