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Expand your toolbox with the tools and techniques needed to fix your organizations unique needs. Any academic unit may issue additional or more specific information that is consistent with approved policy. 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. The Office of the University Chaplain has communicated to the faculty via the Provosts office a list of major religious holy days. 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. 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). 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. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. 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. The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. 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. The Department of the Air Force is processing a number of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. Sample Accommodation Request Letter. Fundamental requirements of the applicable academic program and/or related technical standards; Essential functions of an individual's job; Duties of others in the department or job group; Availability of alternative accommodations; Any undue hardship resulting from the requested accommodation; and. 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. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter DATE EMPLOYER NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE RE: (YOUR NAME) Dear (NAME): I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. 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. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . {Your Address} For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. 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. Religious beliefs are one freedom protected in the workplace by Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Department's reasonable accommodation policy is outlined within Personnel Bulletin 21-03 Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities. Please let me know your decision at your earliest convenience. 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. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: 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. Secular activitiesshopping, sports, employment, and entertainmentare laid aside. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. 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. stream In most cases, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate University office first, contacting professors, residential life, or dining services. If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, 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. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must document: a description of the accommodation you are requesting; I will be very grateful if you could assist me in achieving a suitable schedule to avoid such a conflict. 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. If the employer discovers the employee lied, then the employer has an additional factor to consider. As this would cause minimal burden for only minor {rescheduling, uniform changes, etc. 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. 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. 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. If students are sabbath-observant, they must make this fact known to their professors for any course in which Saturday work is required. 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. 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 . Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. Share sensitive 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. It is the policy of the University of Washington to reasonably accommodate students' religious observances in accordance with RCW 28B.137.010.. The Interactive Process is the way in which employees, supervisors, and their departments arrive at a reasonable accommodation. Sitting or standing for long periods of time in the same position is causing increased pain and is decreasing my mobility. Religious Accommodation Request - Template Back Top The first step is to request an accommodation. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. Employer's address. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); Step 4. When we met with you, we discussed what type of accommodation you . 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 . General Information Catalog IT Policies, Standards, and Guidelines For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. 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. religious accommodation is met with resentment and jealousy by co-workers it is still a viable solution. 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. 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. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. This letter is in reply to your request for accommodation approval. Your session has expired. 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. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000 You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. This isn't really a religious request, so the employer can push back and request a letter from a faith leader, she said. Particular considerations for different accommodation types include: A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); If accommodation is easy, do it," said Kelly Dobbs Bunting, an attorney with Greenberg Traurig in Philadelphia, speaking at the SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference 2022on March 30 in Washington, D.C. Sabbath observance is so important to Adventists that it is part of our churchs name, i.e., Seventh-day.. 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. Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? Employees may also request workplace adjustments based on other COVID-19 circumstances not related to being in the increased risk category. 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. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Hence, your letter should also explain how your request will only pose a minor burden. a permanent position. 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 . The law requires that employees and employers engage in the Interactive Process. Some examples include: Permitting a student or employee to take a particular day or time period off for a religious holiday; Permitting flexible scheduling; and Providing a student or employee with a time and place to pray. For instance, you may ask for a shift swap, provide a substitute, or ask them to waive the requirement in full. [Company Name] is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to any protected status, and a work environment that . An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. SPOKANE, Wash - State employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine now have a way to request religious and medical exemptions. } [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. 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. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Religious beliefs may exempt you from participating in certain functions or completing certain actions. Describe what you expect this reasonable accommodation to be. Religious Accommodation Request Template. Explain that you would like an accommodation to allow you to practice your religion at work. [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. 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. The VMS will be accessible via the myJH portal when it goes live on July 1. Implementing the Religious Accommodation The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. 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. 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 . 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. To have your request for a religious academic/workplace accommodation considered, please review the following process: 1. I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. 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. Professional Studies and Executive Education, American University's United Methodist Affiliation, submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. 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. 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. 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. Erin Mulvaney. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS I would like to work with you to explore how I can meet the requirements of your course while still honoring my religious practice. This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. % Unlike with disability accommodations, cost often may be a winning undue hardship argument for employers when religious accommodations are requested. Edit your religious accommodation approval letter online Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. Change employee to a shift or department that does not operate on Friday night or Saturday. The Justice Centre does not have a standard template to address such individual beliefs. The Orthodox Union certifies the Kosher program and offers lunch and dinner Sundays through Thursdays and lunch on Fridays. Religious Exemption letter. The Sabbath is sacred to me and I devote these hours to God. Requested accommodations vary - an employee may need a particular day off each year for a religious holiday; or to refrain from work every week on his or her Sabbath; or to wear religious garb; or to have a place to pray. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other requirement. 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. 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. A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. It has become more difficult to breathe while in the office, even in my own personal office. JAN provides free, confidential technical assistance about job accommodations and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). (1) Observances of Worship and Holy Days. For instance, state that there is a company policy in place that requires you to do certain things that are not acceptable within your religion. I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding this request. $(document).ready(function () { 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 . 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. Employee requests for religious accommodation at work are not always handled appropriately; take, for instance, Ashanti McShan's case. (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. So you can pray. A quick Q & A on religious exemptions. On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. Student Vaccine ExceptionRequests:Whenever possible, students should submit vaccine exceptionrequests to OIE at least 30 days in advance of Pre-Entrance Health Requirement Deadlines and OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. 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. [Company name] (the Company) has engaged in good faith written and/or oral communications PO Box 81489 Middlesex, NJ 08 Fax Number: Your accommodation request will be reviewed by your . 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. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); This is false. Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. Thank you in advance for accommodating my request. In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption 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. Send religious accommodation letter sample via email, link, or fax. However, unless the disability or the need for accommodation is obvious, it is the . To request a religious accommodation: You must submit the Request for Religious Accommodation Form t o your Departmental HR Manager (DHRM) or their designee. Sample Email - Religious Accommodation Request. 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. 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. "Try your hardest to accommodate. 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. There are many types of accommodations. Whatever adjustments need to be made, you can count on me to do everything I can to cooperate fully. State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. Scheduling accommodations may involve: 1. Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why. A letter from a religious leader of the faith community to which the student is a member stating the need for an exemption. 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. 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. 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. The Interactive Process can begin in a number of ways. 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 description of the [modified/alternate] employment is as follows (include description of accommodation here): This is a temporary accommodation, not. 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. I am grateful for my job, and always strive to do my very best at work. Sincerely, This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. 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. 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,. Pursuant to DoDI 1300.17, Accommodation of Please enable scripts and reload this page. Dear Sir, With utmost respect and honor, it is stated that I work at your renowned company under customer representative designation. 3 0 obj Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. 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. Date of Letter 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. Writing A Hardship Letter To Social Security. 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. T hank you for considering my request. You are entitled to make this request, and your employer must make these accommodations based on the law of Equal Employment Opportunity. 5. Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them atdining@jhu.edu. Hence, you will need to write a hardship letter religious accommodation discrimination. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ Homewood Housing Requests:The university recognizes that student observance of their faith may require special consideration for housing assignments. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway.