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JAN provides free, confidential technical assistance about job accommodations and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 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.. T hank you for considering my request. 01. 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. The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. 5. temp_style.textContent = '.ms-rtestate-field > p:first-child.is-empty.d-none, .ms-rtestate-field > .fltter .is-empty.d-none, .ZWSC-cleaned.is-empty.d-none {display:block !important;}'; Homewood Housing Requests:The university recognizes that student observance of their faith may require special consideration for housing assignments. I would also be open to any other suggestions that you might have. I have pain in my lower back. I therefore respectfully request that you make an accommodation for my religious belief, observance, and practice in keeping with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the guidelines of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by allowing me to leave work on the Fridays in question just prior to sundown. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. 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 have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. Employer's address. 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. Students are required to check their course syllabi at the beginning of the semester, make any conflicts with religious/cultural observances known to their professors, and discuss arrangements for missed classes or assignments. 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. Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. 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 that effort fails or if the particular University office has questions, students may submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption There is no public health emergency. 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. (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. 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 . 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Ask your manager to meet with you. Particular considerations for different accommodation types include: A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. religious accommodation is met with resentment and jealousy by co-workers it is still a viable solution. Sample Hardship Letter Financial Hardship Letters Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. (3) A request for the accommodation of religious practices may be granted in whole or in part. 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. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). 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. Below I have included some possible ideas that could help at my workstation. 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. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. If it would be easier, I would be happy to talk with you about this further in person or by phone. 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. The law requires that employees and employers engage in the Interactive Process. The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. You can also download it, export it or print it out. In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . Unlike with disability accommodations, cost often may be a winning undue hardship argument for employers when religious accommodations are requested. However, unless the disability or the need for accommodation is obvious, it is the . The first step is to request an accommodation. The University may request the student provide information to support the need for an accommodation based on the student's sincerely held religious belief. Don't, for example, automatically laugh when an employee says he or she is a follower of the Jedi. 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. Frequently Asked Questions, Commissioner Charges and Directed Investigations, Office of Civil Rights, Diversity and Inclusion, Management Directives & Federal Sector Guidance, Federal Sector Alternative Dispute Resolution, sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. 02. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. 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. I have the interest of the company at heart. Thank you for your consideration and understanding in this matter. 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. 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. The Jedi religion is listed by the military as one of more than 200 religions it recognizes. The interactive process starts when a student or employeesubmits a religious accommodation request. 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. A business also might reject a religious accommodation request if the accommodation would decrease workplace efficiency, such as if everyone else has to cover the worktime of the employee who is missing work regularly, she said. 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. Under the Equal Employment regulations, I am entitled to accommodations provided that they do not cause undue hardship to the company. Your signature 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. In addition, having a list of what I might need to do for the workday/week could also help me keep track of my work. If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. Inconsistent behavior with the professed belief. 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. You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. A lock ( I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. 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 . [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. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Employee requests for religious accommodation at work are not always handled appropriately; take, for instance, Ashanti McShan's case. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: 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. I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. } information only on official, secure websites. For religious exemptions toimmunization requirements, students should submit along with their requests: Please email your request, your letter to President Burwell, andaletter from a leader of your faith community (or a request for consultation with the University Chaplain)to president@american.edu. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. First-Year Residential Students Living on Campus: You can sign up for a kosher meal plan while registering for housing the summer before you arrive on campus.Second-Year Resident Students Living in McCoyor Charles Commons: You can sign up for a kosher meal plan while registering for housing the spring of your first year.Second-year Residential Students Living in Homewood Apartments, Bradford, or Rogerss House: You can sign up for a kosher meal plan while registering for housing the spring of your first year or by signing up for meal plans on theHousing Portal.Upperclassmen and Off-Campus Students: You can enroll for a Kosher meal plan on theHousing Portal by logging in with your JHED. It has become more difficult to breathe while in the office, even in my own personal office. Second, the religious belief must be "sincerely held" to be entitled to accommodation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. }, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly. If the employer discovers the employee lied, then the employer has an additional factor to consider. 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. Employees may also request workplace adjustments based on other COVID-19 circumstances not related to being in the increased risk category. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. Request for Accommodation of Religious Practice SAMPLE 1. } {Your Address} If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. 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. This is false. A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. If an employer has tried everything else, unpaid leave is acceptable. 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 . State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted. The Justice Centre does not have a standard template to address such individual beliefs. 2000(e) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for employees religious observances. 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. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. Secular activitiesshopping, sports, employment, and entertainmentare laid aside. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. Describe what you expect this reasonable accommodation to be. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. 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. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further at your convenience. [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. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. I would like to request for accommodations to help decrease the pain caused by my back condition. On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. 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. Train managers to recognize religious exemption requests and to refer them to HR. An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. [Company Name] is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to any protected status, and a work environment that . An applicant or employee may need a reasonable accommodation (a change to the way things are normally done at work) so he can practice or observe his religion. Erin Mulvaney. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them atdining@jhu.edu. Dear Boss, First, I request a religious exemption. I am writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. 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. A quick Q & A on religious exemptions. a permanent position. One option that I would propose is [enter request]. This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); Additional information may be requested if needed to evaluate the request. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. Employees requesting a religious accommodation shall immediately contact their local Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. There are also Kosher retail items available for purchase at theCharles Street Market (Char Mar). The other employees may wind up leaving due to the extra workload. 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. 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. 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 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 . If an accommodation would violate a collective bargaining agreement, it would result in an undue hardship. Sabbath observance is so important to Adventists that it is part of our churchs name, i.e., Seventh-day.. The hiring manager had assured her that [] This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. Scheduling accommodations may involve: 1. % $('.container-footer').first().hide(); For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. Attach a copy of the policy, highlighting the issue at hand. 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. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. 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. Avoid application of punitive leave policies. info@eeoc.gov 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. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. An employee may 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. 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. University of Washington Religious Accommodations Policy. 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. M`f"_qy7iSvvhBnq>!I+b"j0GL1Hy=3qIRrK{ 7\p% $K'@? < e/q[4T5iC`t`]fX`W_da(dk5 GadSh7(C/?. Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . However, the rules do stipulate that you must make requests for certain accommodations based on your religious beliefs. 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. LockA locked padlock 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. 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 hosorto@ithaca.edu. Change employee to a shift or department that does not operate on Friday night or Saturday. Requests for accommodation should be made at the earliest opportunity once a student has become aware that a conflict exists. 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. Request for Religious Accommodation . 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. Edit your religious accommodation approval letter online Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. {Your Phone #} I would like to request an exception based on my religious beliefs and practices. 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. *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. Document accommodations the employer tried to make and that the employee rejected. For instance, you may ask for a shift swap, provide a substitute, or ask them to waive the requirement in full. 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. 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. General Information Catalog IT Policies, Standards, and Guidelines 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. 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. 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. SAMPLE REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION [EMPLOYMENT] Dear [HR Department]: [Employer] has directed me to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine, or suffer adverse employment action, up to and including termination. 2. 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. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. 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. American University will make good faith efforts to provide reasonable religious accommodations to students whose sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement unless such an accommodation would create an undue hardship. 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. Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. This isn't really a religious request, so the employer can push back and request a letter from a faith leader, she said. I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. Given ongoing construction in our building and increased dust from it, my allergy symptoms have greatly increased. This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the Site. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. 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 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 . Workplace distractions interfere with my concentration and focus so I would like to try noise cancelling headphones to minimize sound distractions. 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. CBP Applicant: An applicant requesting religious accommodation for any stage of the application process must submit a request for religious accommodation to the Indianapolis or Minneapolis Hiring Center, as applicable.