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. Please enable scripts and reload this page. 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. 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. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? {Your Address} Pursuant to DoDI 1300.17, Accommodation of 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. Please log in as a SHRM member. Once a religious objection to taking a vaccine is established, an employer has a duty to accommodate that religious belief up to the point of undue hardship. The University Chaplain will also consult with others related to the student's request. Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . Sample Request for Religious Accommodation [Employment] You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your . 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. 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. 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. Your signature The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. 4. This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. Religious accommodation requests to employer vaccination policies 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 . if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). Would you please let me know in the next week? An employer must try to arrange to allow the employee to meet these religious obligations. There are also Kosher retail items available for purchase at theCharles Street Market (Char Mar). The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. The Sabbath is sacred to me and I devote these hours to God. Implementing the Religious Accommodation He has requested a schedule that would accommodate his religious observance of . Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. info@eeoc.gov For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. 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 all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organizations culture, industry, and practices. University Policy Office | University Compliance Services %PDF-1.3 Make accommodation policies clear, and apply them equally even if the employer has never heard of the religion. Companies, however, have a leg up on public-sector employers when it comes to dealing with religious challenges to vaccine mandates. 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. Kosher Meal Plans: The university offers severalKosher meal plan optionsthat can be used at the The Taam Tov section of theHopkins Cafe. 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. A Template for the "Request for a Religious Exemption to the COVID-19 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. I would like to request for accommodations to help decrease the pain caused by my back condition. 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. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Edit your religious accommodation approval letter online Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. Work on Sunday or holidays in place of Saturday. 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. {Your Phone #} Would you please let me know in the next week? T hank you for considering my request. a description of the accommodation you are requesting; the reason you need an accommodation; and. Sample letter to Request Reasonable Accommodations During the COVID-19 If an accommodation would violate a collective bargaining agreement, it would result in an undue hardship. 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. 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. Religious accommodations can take many forms. Any academic unit may issue additional or more specific information that is consistent with approved policy. You are exclusively responsible and bear all risks associated with any user-generated content you submit or read. 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. Click the link TO DOWNLOAD A RAMADAN RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST TEMPLATE. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. 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. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. For example. Manager Responsibilities - Reasonable Accommodation Tips, 131 M Street, NE For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: 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). 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. Religious Accommodations - Navy Your session has expired. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. }\_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 The Jedi religion is listed by the military as one of more than 200 religions it recognizes. I anticipate this arrangement would be necessary for only 5 or 6 weeks, or until the sun starts to set after 5:00 p.m. 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. LockA locked padlock << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> }, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly. {Your Loan #}. 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. 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. 2000(e) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for employees religious observances. 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. 02. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); The Department of the Air Force is processing a number of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Be aware of differences in state law. Johns Hopkins UniversityWyman Park Building, Suite 5153400 North Charles StreetBaltimore, Maryland 21218, 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. 3. Religious Accommodations Tips | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. information only on official, secure websites. I have been having medical issues that have affected my mood, sleep schedule, concentration, and focus. Examples of Accommodations We strive to be creative and flexible in arriving at a reasonable accommodation. 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 description of the [modified/alternate] employment is as follows (include description of accommodation here): This is a temporary accommodation, not. {Your Name}