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. This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. If an employer has tried everything else, unpaid leave is acceptable. 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. I would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation due to religious belief. 01. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
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. And, it is also for encouraging and enticing your clients to visit your place of business as well. 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). 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.
The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. Examples of Accommodations We strive to be creative and flexible in arriving at a reasonable accommodation. 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. 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.. 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. 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 . employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption Request for Religious Accommodation . I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. Share sensitive 02. {Your Address} 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. 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. To have your request for a religious academic/workplace accommodation considered, please review the following process: 1. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. 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. Your manager may not be familiar with your church, and the law doesn't require employers to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every religion. 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. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000
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Hence, your letter should also explain how your request will only pose a minor burden. This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. Religious Exemption Letter. 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. Whatever adjustments need to be made, you can count on me to do everything I can to cooperate fully. Religious Accommodation Request - Template Back Top Dear Boss, First, I request a religious exemption. 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. He has requested a schedule that would accommodate his religious observance of . There is no public health emergency. 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,. If there are any other ideas or options that you could provide it would be greatly appreciated. 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. 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. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. The University may request the student provide information to support the need for an accommodation based on the student's sincerely held religious belief. When May an Employer Reject a Religious Accommodation Request? Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. Embed Request Forms in Your Site. 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 . Sample Email - Religious Accommodation Request. [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. 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. c. Types of Accommodation Requests. 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. Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. Students and employees must generally submit religious accommodation requests annually. 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. As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. An employer that rejects such a request should be OK if it's sued in such circumstances, and it likely will be sued, she added. Pursuant to DoDI 1300.17, Accommodation of A lock ( CO/OICs will accommodate . Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . 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 . $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA ");
Your address 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. To request a religious accommodation: You must submit the Request for Religious Accommodation Form t o your Departmental HR Manager (DHRM) or their designee. 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. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Scheduling accommodations may involve: 1. whether the employee requesting a religious accommodation to a Covid-19 vaccination requirement works outdoors or indoors; whether the employee works in a solitary or group work setting, or has . 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. If students are sabbath-observant, they must make this fact known to their professors for any course in which Saturday work is required. LockA locked padlock I request Reasonable Accommodation to have {Company Name} {waive the requirement, provide a substitute, allow shift swap, etc.}. 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. Your printed name. 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. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. At JAN, I often discuss options with employees about what might be useful to include and how to clearly explain what accommodation is needed. Sitting or standing for long periods of time in the same position is causing increased pain and is decreasing my mobility. Thank you in advance for accommodating my request. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Other objective reasons that the employer has to believe the requested accommodation isn't being sought for religious reasons. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. Please contact dining@jhu.edu or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. 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. Model Letter: Requesting Religious Accommodation in the Face of COVID-19 Vaccine Workplace Mandate For good or bad, COVID-19 has changed the way we navigate the world and the way in which "we the people" exercise our rights. 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. Step 4. It has been brought to the attention of The Vault Project that many employers are requesting a signed letter from a pastor on their religious exemption request forms for COVID vaccines. It covers COVID-19 vaccine requirements and mandates, too. The Department's reasonable accommodation policy is outlined within Personnel Bulletin 21-03 Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities. 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. The interactive process starts when a student or employeesubmits a religious accommodation request. 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. WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. 3. Find your nearest EEOC office
Sincerely, Each request is individually reviewed by . For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Please let me know your decision at your earliest convenience. Examples of possible . If that effort fails or if the particular University office has questions, students may submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. She had just been hired as a cashier at the fast-food restaurant. 3 0 obj Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . I would also be open to any other suggestions that you might have. Make accommodation policies clear, and apply them equally even if the employer has never heard of the religion. A quick Q & A on religious exemptions. The other employees may wind up leaving due to the extra workload. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. Questions #1-7: Basic Information Questions 1 - 7 require . If the student does not belong to a religious community that could provide this letter,the student should indicate this in their letter and request a letter from the University Chaplain after due consultation with the University Chaplain. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. 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. Sample Hardship Letter Financial Hardship Letters Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination. Date of Letter Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. Monitoring the Religious AccommodationBecause changes occur, student affairs representatives and employers may need to periodically check on the ongoing effectiveness of religious accommodations. 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 . This is false. (1) Observances of Worship and Holy Days. Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. T hank you for considering my request. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. 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;}';
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. 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. 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. Be aware of differences in state law. 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 . I am (mention your name) on behalf of (mention company name) and would like to say that, the department provider's letter you submitted to us on [mention date] stated that you have the following work problem. 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. 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. "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. 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. Religious Accommodation Request Template. Sign it in a few clicks how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. 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. a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Example Letter "Religious Reasonable Accompaniment Form" Please print or type the enclosed Letter, and attach it to the Religious Reasonable Accommodation form and fax it to: New Jersey Department of Corrections. 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. Additional information may be requested if needed to evaluate the request. PO Box 81489 Middlesex, NJ 08 Fax Number: Your accommodation request will be reviewed by your . For instance, your company may have a certain dress code that you cannot adhere to, expect you to work on what is classed as a day of rest in your religion, and so on. A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. Religious beliefs are one freedom protected in the workplace by Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964. 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 accommodation requests require a written statement, via the CDCR Form 2273, Request for Religious Accommodation, indicating the individual's sincerely-held religious belief that precludes them from receiving any COVID-19 vaccine. According to company policy at {Company Name}, I am required to {participate in function/religious event, follow certain dress codes, work on certain days, work certain hours, etc.}. 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. One option that I would propose is [enter request]. 2. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers:
Would you please let me know in the next week? nd OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. 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 . Consider the request. On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. Notice of Liability Sample Letter. << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> The Interactive Process is the way in which employees, supervisors, and their departments arrive at a reasonable accommodation. 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. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. 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). 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. 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. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further at your convenience. Recognizing a Religious Accommodation RequestThe Office of Institutional Equity ("OIE") receives and reviews all religious accommodation requests, including but not limited to vaccine exceptionrequests. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID");
Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. (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. [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. %PDF-1.3 }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){
A letter from a religious leader of the faith community to which the student is a member stating the need for an exemption. 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. $(document).ready(function () {
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. M`f"_qy7iSvvhBnq>!I+b"j0GL1Hy=3qIRrK{ 7\p%
$K'@? < e/q[4T5iC`t`]fX`W_da(dk5 GadSh7(C/?. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. 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. Thank you for considering my request. I have the interest of the company at heart. It is the policy of the University of Washington to reasonably accommodate students' religious observances in accordance with RCW 28B.137.010.. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. }\_e1~PyxxC|~t#;w#~0?Op|*h UAYIcW_}qWXz.fqw~zyW4iqCg+ty{%45&r4ZU
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For instance, you may ask for a shift swap, provide a substitute, or ask them to waive the requirement in full. Work on Sunday or holidays in place of Saturday. 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. State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. 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. Religious accommodations can take many forms. I do not wish to have a conflict between my job duties and my obligations to God. % The VMS will be accessible via the myJH portal when it goes live on July 1. So you can pray. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. 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. Employee requests for religious accommodation at work are not always handled appropriately; take, for instance, Ashanti McShan's case. According to new guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers can push back when there is: HR may speak with supervisors and inquire about whether the person talks about religion at work or has ever asked for specific days off. 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 .