Avoid application of punitive leave policies. Explain that you would like an accommodation to allow you to practice your religion at work. 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. 3. However, the rules do stipulate that you must make requests for certain accommodations based on your religious beliefs. [Company name] (the Company) has engaged in good faith written and/or oral communications Thank you for considering my request. 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 . You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your . 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. A letter from a religious leader of the faith community to which the student is a member stating the need for an exemption. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. The interactive process starts when a student or employeesubmits a religious accommodation request. 4. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to engage in an interactive process. Would you please let me know in the next week? Writing A Hardship Letter To Social Security. Train managers to recognize religious exemption requests and to refer them to HR. The VMS will be accessible via the myJH portal when it goes live on July 1. Any academic unit may issue additional or more specific information that is consistent with approved policy. The Department's reasonable accommodation policy is outlined within Personnel Bulletin 21-03 Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities. 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. 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. State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted. Employer's address. In some cases, OIE may need to obtain additional information and/or documentation about the student or employee's religious or spiritual practice(s) or belief(s). Secure .gov websites use HTTPS I am enrolled in your course [course number]. 02. Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. 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. I have the interest of the company at heart. However, the law does stipulate that the employer only has to conform if the accommodation will not cause the company any undue hardship. 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. 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. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. 2000(e) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for employees religious observances. 6. 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. 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. Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . It was created to assist you while you are recovering. Here in Canada the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) offers this advice: The religious objections held by individuals to specific vaccines will vary significantly. {Your Loan #}. 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. 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. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the Site. 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. I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. 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 Sabbath is sacred to me and I devote these hours to God. 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. That being said, you should write your exemption letter in your own words according . Financial Hardship Examples, Samples and Articles, Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination, Writing A Hardship Letter Property Repairs. 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. Religious Accommodation Request Resolution Employee (identified below) has requested an accommodation related to a religious belief, practice, and/or requirement. 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 . 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. Please contact dining@jhu.edu or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Consider the request. To have your request for a religious academic/workplace accommodation considered, please review the following process: 1. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them atdining@jhu.edu. 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. SAMPLE REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION [STUDENT] Dear [School Administration]: [School] has issued a directive requiring me, a student enrolled in [school] [or, if the student is a minor, my child [name of student], a student enrolled in [school],] to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. 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. In Exodus 20, the Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and to refrain from work on that day. 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. (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. The first step is to request an accommodation. For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. Housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs may limit occupancy to members as. 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. }\_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 {Your Name} An employee may For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. 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. 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. For example. 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. RA ensures equal opportunity in the job application, examination, and hiring processes that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to participate in those processes, and perform the essential functions of the job. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further at your convenience. Some examples include: 4. Ask your manager to meet with you. Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. Must an . A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. 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.. Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors. On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. Manager Responsibilities - Reasonable Accommodation Tips, 131 M Street, NE The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. 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 instance, you may ask for a shift swap, provide a substitute, or ask them to waive the requirement in full. Particular considerations for different accommodation types include: A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. Implementing the Religious Accommodation 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. 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. 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 writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. Professional Studies and Executive Education, American University's United Methodist Affiliation, submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. For Airmen seeking a religious accommodation request, chaplains play a critical role in ensuring each request is fully considered in accordance with DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force. 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. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. One option that I would propose is [enter request]. As this would cause minimal burden for only minor {rescheduling, uniform changes, etc. 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. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); I do not wish to have a conflict between my job duties and my obligations to God. Monitoring the Religious AccommodationBecause changes occur, student affairs representatives and employers may need to periodically check on the ongoing effectiveness of religious accommodations. stream SPOKANE, Wash - State employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine now have a way to request religious and medical exemptions. 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,. Document accommodations the employer tried to make and that the employee rejected. [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. You are entitled to make this request, and your employer must make these accommodations based on the law of Equal Employment Opportunity. In most cases, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate University office first, contacting professors, residential life, or dining services. This is a matter of considerable importance and urgency to me. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. Your printed name. 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. 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 . Your signature Recognizing a Religious Accommodation RequestThe Office of Institutional Equity ("OIE") receives and reviews all religious accommodation requests, including but not limited to vaccine exceptionrequests. {Your Address} Whatever adjustments need to be made, you can count on me to do everything I can to cooperate fully. Submission of the completed form will be treated as a request for a disability accommodation and evaluated and decided under applicable Rehabilitation Act standards for reasonable accommodation absent undue hardship to the agency. . Religious Accommodation Request Template. Change employee to a shift or department that does not operate on Friday night or Saturday. 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. For example, an applicant may ask to reschedule an interview that is on a religious holiday or an employee may request an exception to a "no hats" rule to wear a religious head covering, such as a yarmulke or hijab. }, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly. 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. 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. 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. When we met with you, we discussed what type of accommodation you . I request Reasonable Accommodation to have {Company Name} {waive the requirement, provide a substitute, allow shift swap, etc.}. Religious accommodations can take many forms. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. The law requires that educational institutions must develop policies to accommodate student absences to allow students to take holidays for reasons of faith or conscience or for organized . *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. If it would be easier, I would be happy to talk with you about this further in person or by phone. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. To request a religious accommodation: You must submit the Request for Religious Accommodation Form t o your Departmental HR Manager (DHRM) or their designee. Depending on the circumstances, some examples of workplace accommodations may include: providing a woven cloth mask or personal protective equipment (PPE); physical distancing or modifying the work environment; modifying work schedules; There is no public health emergency. Other objective reasons that a request isn't for religious reasons might include if the worker says he or she only puts organic substances into his or her body, defining organic substances as those that come from dirt. 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). 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 . 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. Second, the religious belief must be "sincerely held" to be entitled to accommodation. To help our brethren who may need support in writing a letter to establish a 'religious objection,' we have created a Religious Accommodation Request template that can be used and modified to suit individual circumstances. 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. a description of the accommodation you are requesting; the reason you need an accommodation; and. This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. Hence, you will need to write a hardship letter religious accommodation discrimination. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. } Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. 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. There are also Kosher retail items available for purchase at theCharles Street Market (Char Mar). var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); 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. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. 4. 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. Sign it in a few clicks x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? Your address }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Send religious accommodation letter sample via email, link, or fax. University of Washington Religious Accommodations Policy. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. (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. (3) A request for the accommodation of religious practices may be granted in whole or in part. LockA locked padlock 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. The EEOC published a sample form that employers can use for religious accommodation requests from workers, which have risen as Covid-19 vaccine mandates proliferate in the workplace. T hank you for considering my request. 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. If that effort fails or if the particular University office has questions, students may submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. Examples of possible . I would like to request an exception based on my religious beliefs and practices. I have been having medical issues that have affected my mood, sleep schedule, concentration, and focus. Find your nearest EEOC office Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. 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.