An employer doesn't have to provide a religious accommodation if it poses an undue hardship to a business. Hence, you will need to write a hardship letter religious accommodation discrimination. a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) 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. The religious accommodation request, if filed with an employment agency, may be submitted to the agency to whom the employee currently has a personnel management relationship. I am a practicing member of {Religion}. 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. The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. Below I have included some possible ideas that could help at my workstation. 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. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Train managers to recognize religious exemption requests and to refer them to HR. If you have questions or concerns, please contact, Whenever possible, employees should submit vaccine exceptionrequests to OIE at least 30 days in advance of, Johns Hopkins Medicine Compliance Deadlines. In an effort to meet individual students needs, Housing Operations will work directly with the Office of Institutional Equity and the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life for assigning students who are approved for religion-based housing accommodations.To request a religious-based housing accommodation, students should submit the Homewood Campus: University Housing Religious Accommodation Request Form to the Office of Institutional Equity by the following deadlines based on their class. (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. Share sensitive One option that I would propose is [enter request]. stream Date of Letter 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. If that effort fails or if the particular University office has questions, students may submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. [Company Name] is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to any protected status, and a work environment that . 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. [1] Faculty/staff are hereafter referred to as employee(s).[2] Students who cannot take a quiz, test, or final exam on a scheduled date due to a religious observance must inform OIE of any conflicts before the semesters add/drop deadline, or as soon as possible after a particular assignment or examination date is announced. Your name Housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs may limit occupancy to members as. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. 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. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone) 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. Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dear Sir, With utmost respect and honor, it is stated that I work at your renowned company under customer representative designation. 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. Employees requesting a religious accommodation shall immediately contact their local Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator. Your session has expired. {Your Phone #} var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); This isn't really a religious request, so the employer can push back and request a letter from a faith leader, she said. For Airmen seeking a religious accommodation request, chaplains play a critical role in ensuring each request is fully considered in accordance with DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force. 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. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { If an accommodation would violate a collective bargaining agreement, it would result in an undue hardship. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. Religious beliefs may exempt you from participating in certain functions or completing certain actions. Because many people still do not want to be vaccinated, a number of websites have . 3. 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; Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. Your signature If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. 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. 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. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) Sign it in a few clicks 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 . 6. 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. Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . As such, I am unable to {work on Sunday mornings, shave my beard, etc.}. 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. 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. << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. 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. The Department of the Air Force is processing a number of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. 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. 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. description of the accommodation you are requesting; A written letter to the chief official of the school, President Sylvia Burwell, that states the immunization would violate their religious belief as required by DC Code Section 38-506. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Religious accommodation is covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. Sample Accommodation Request Letter: Allergies Date of Letter Your name Your address Employer's name Employer's address Dear [Insert employer's name here]: Given ongoing construction in our building and increased dust from it, my allergy symptoms have greatly increased. You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your . I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. And, it is also for encouraging and enticing your clients to visit your place of business as well. Secular activitiesshopping, sports, employment, and entertainmentare laid aside. Ask your manager to meet with you. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter DATE EMPLOYER NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE RE: (YOUR NAME): Dear (NAME), As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. 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. 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. Click the link TO DOWNLOAD A RAMADAN RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST TEMPLATE. The Interactive Process is the way in which employees, supervisors, and their departments arrive at a reasonable accommodation. {Your Name} 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. % In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . 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. For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption However, following receipt of the request, OIE will speak with a students faculty and/or student affairs representative, or an employees supervisor and/or department in order to further evaluate and/or implement the religious accommodation. 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. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. 01. Consider the 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. Your letter should be a formal one, addressed to the right person. Contact the University Chaplains Office only if there is a conflict in making the accommodations for a religious/cultural observance. Questions #1-7: Basic Information Questions 1 - 7 require . 4. An employer must try to arrange to allow the employee to meet these religious obligations. {Your Loan #}. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. (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. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. Once an Airman or Guardian requests a vaccination exemption for religious reasons in writing to their commander, a chaplain is . It covers COVID-19 vaccine requirements and mandates, too. The Interactive Process can begin in a number of ways. Attach a copy of the policy, highlighting the issue at hand. Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. 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. Monitoring the Religious AccommodationBecause changes occur, student affairs representatives and employers may need to periodically check on the ongoing effectiveness of religious accommodations. Dear Boss, First, I request a religious exemption. Send religious accommodation letter sample via email, link, or fax. You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. 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. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ Requests for accommodation should be made at the earliest opportunity once a student has become aware that a conflict exists. a permanent position. The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. 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. Examples of Accommodations We strive to be creative and flexible in arriving at a reasonable accommodation. 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. The Office of the University Chaplain has communicated to the faculty via the Provosts office a list of major religious holy days. This letter is in reply to your request for accommodation approval. 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. 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. 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. The Jedi religion is listed by the military as one of more than 200 religions it recognizes. So you can pray. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. c. Types of Accommodation Requests. I have joined the office 5 months ago. Manager Responsibilities - Reasonable Accommodation Tips, 131 M Street, NE Any academic unit may issue additional or more specific information that is consistent with approved policy. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. } This form asks for information on the specific religious belief or conviction - whether religious, spiritual, or philosophical - that is the basis of the request, as well as the requestedaccommodation or modification to policy, practice, or schedule. Subject: Religious Accommodation for [Course Number]. 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 . Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. A letter from a religious leader of the faith community to which the student is a member stating the need for an exemption. 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.