religious accommodation request letter sample

information only on official, secure websites. Step 4. {Your Address} Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination Example {Your Name} {Your Address} {Your Phone #} {Your Loan #} {Date} To Whom It May Concern: I would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation due to religious belief. 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. A quick Q & A on religious exemptions. In Exodus 20, the Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and to refrain from work on that day. 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 . 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. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. Religious Accommodation Request Resolution Employee (identified below) has requested an accommodation related to a religious belief, practice, and/or requirement. This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. Document accommodations the employer tried to make and that the employee rejected. The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. 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). I have joined the office 5 months ago. WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. } }\_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 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. However, the rules do stipulate that you must make requests for certain accommodations based on your religious beliefs. Date of Letter 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. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them atdining@jhu.edu. 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. A lock ( 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. Subject: Religious Accommodation for [Course Number]. 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. If the employer discovers the employee lied, then the employer has an additional factor to consider. I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. I would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation due to religious belief. The other employees may wind up leaving due to the extra workload. 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. I am writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. The Department's reasonable accommodation policy is outlined within Personnel Bulletin 21-03 Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities. Attach a copy of the policy, highlighting the issue at hand. However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. 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. This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the Site. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. 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. 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. Therefore, the individual making the request must be "qualified", meaning the employee is able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable . The law requires that educational institutions must develop policies to accommodate student absences to allow students to take holidays for reasons of faith or conscience or for organized . I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. When May an Employer Reject a Religious Accommodation Request? Employee requests for religious accommodation at work are not always handled appropriately; take, for instance, Ashanti McShan's case. The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. 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. Additional information may be requested if needed to evaluate the request. 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. 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. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. However, writing such an initial request can feel intimidating and employees can get nervous about what to include in the letter and how to word it. Because many people still do not want to be vaccinated, a number of websites have . The law requires that employees and employers engage in the Interactive Process. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); {Your Loan #}. Change employee to a shift or department that does not operate on Friday night or Saturday. 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. Implementing the Religious Accommodation I have been having medical issues that have affected my mood, sleep schedule, concentration, and focus. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. 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. The Jedi religion is listed by the military as one of more than 200 religions it recognizes. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); 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; Expand your toolbox with the tools and techniques needed to fix your organizations unique needs. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. I am informed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. This isn't really a religious request, so the employer can push back and request a letter from a faith leader, she said. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. Describe what you expect this reasonable accommodation to be. 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. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. 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 first step is to request an accommodation. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. Dear Sir, With utmost respect and honor, it is stated that I work at your renowned company under customer representative designation. Under the Equal Employment regulations, I am entitled to accommodations provided that they do not cause undue hardship to the company. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. It's been wonderful working here, everyone is very supporting and company really acknowledges employees work. Religious beliefs may exempt you from participating in certain functions or completing certain actions. The description of the [modified/alternate] employment is as follows (include description of accommodation here): This is a temporary accommodation, not. This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. 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. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. And, it is also for encouraging and enticing your clients to visit your place of business as well. Although Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) do not require clergy letters to be submitted in order to obtain a religious accommodation to receiving . Be aware of differences in state law. 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 . JAN provides free, confidential technical assistance about job accommodations and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 5. There are also Kosher retail items available for purchase at theCharles Street Market (Char Mar). Please note:To receive a religious accommodation, the religious observance must be one required by one's religious tradition. 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. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). 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. Don't, for example, automatically laugh when an employee says he or she is a follower of the Jedi. 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 . Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. 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. The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. Permitting a student or employee to take a particular day or time period off for a religious holiday; Providing a student or employee with a time and place to pray. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); The Department of the Air Force is processing a number of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. This is false. "Try your hardest to accommodate. 4. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. Requests for accommodation should be made at the earliest opportunity once a student has become aware that a conflict exists. 10 Examples of Religious Exemption Requests for Covid-19 Vaccines In the United States, employers have the responsibility to create a safe and unbiased work environment for people of different races and beliefs. 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. Your printed name. Companies, however, have a leg up on public-sector employers when it comes to dealing with religious challenges to vaccine mandates. 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. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption The University Chaplain will also consult with others related to the student's request. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ 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. Workplace distractions interfere with my concentration and focus so I would like to try noise cancelling headphones to minimize sound distractions. Work on Sunday or holidays in place of Saturday. Employees, as well as job applicants, may request a religious or reasonable accommodation from an employer requirement that conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances. Some examples include: 4. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. Embed Request Forms in Your Site. Moreover, I am informed that the Federal Courts have held a reasonable accommodation is one that eliminates the conflict between the job duties and a workers religion. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. Examples of possible . State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. Religious Accommodation Request - Template Back Top 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. Please give this request consideration at your earliest convenience.