religious accommodation request letter sample

} nd OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. And, it is also for encouraging and enticing your clients to visit your place of business as well. Please log in as a SHRM member. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. 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. 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. 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. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. Sample Hardship Letter Financial Hardship Letters Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination. Bunting concluded by outlining best practices to follow when handling religious accommodation requests: If an employee rejects a good accommodation that an employer has offered, "you're golden," Bunting said. 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. University of Washington Religious Accommodations Policy. Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors. 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. To have your request for a religious academic/workplace accommodation considered, please review the following process: 1. As such, I am unable to {work on Sunday mornings, shave my beard, etc.}. 5. That being said, you should write your exemption letter in your own words according . Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on 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. Your name 3 0 obj 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. Model Letter: Requesting Religious Accommodation in the Face of COVID-19 Vaccine Workplace Mandate Dear [Name of Human Resources Officer or other appropriate supervisor]: On [set forth date], I and other employees of [name of employer] were notified that all employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof or face 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. Employee requests for religious accommodation at work are not always handled appropriately; take, for instance, Ashanti McShan's case. This catalog is the document of authority for all students and includes undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students. 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. Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. 4. information only on official, secure websites. The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further at your convenience. 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. The first step is to request an accommodation. 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. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. }\_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 In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. Secular activitiesshopping, sports, employment, and entertainmentare laid aside. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? The Department's reasonable accommodation policy is outlined within Personnel Bulletin 21-03 Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities. An employer doesn't have to provide a religious accommodation if it poses an undue hardship to a business. A lock ( 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. 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. (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. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. 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. 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,. Expand your toolbox with the tools and techniques needed to fix your organizations unique needs. Under the Equal Employment regulations, I am entitled to accommodations provided that they do not cause undue hardship to the company. Writing A Hardship Letter To Social Security. Be aware of differences in state law. Consider the request. 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. When May an Employer Reject a Religious Accommodation Request? 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. 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. stream Kosher Meal Plans: The university offers severalKosher meal plan optionsthat can be used at the The Taam Tov section of theHopkins Cafe. An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. Sample Email - Religious Accommodation Request. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. Thank you for considering my request. If there are any other ideas or options that you could provide it would be greatly appreciated. Students and employees must generally submit religious accommodation requests annually. Would you please let me know in the next week? [Company Name] is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to any protected status, and a work environment that . Employer's name 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. The other employees may wind up leaving due to the extra workload. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. 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. One option that I would propose is [enter request]. Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why. Once an Airman or Guardian requests a vaccination exemption for religious reasons in writing to their commander, a chaplain is . Housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs may limit occupancy to members as. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. If an accommodation would violate a collective bargaining agreement, it would result in an undue hardship. OIE will then gather the necessary informationtoconsiderthe request. {Your Phone #} CO/OICs will accommodate . I am informed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 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 . Because many people still do not want to be vaccinated, a number of websites have . $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. Notice of Liability Sample Letter. Monitoring the Religious AccommodationBecause changes occur, student affairs representatives and employers may need to periodically check on the ongoing effectiveness of religious accommodations. 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. 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. 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. 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. Would you please let me know in the next week? 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. LockA locked padlock 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. Religious Accommodation Request Resolution Employee (identified below) has requested an accommodation related to a religious belief, practice, and/or requirement. 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); 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. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. 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. Subject: Assertion of Religious Exemption to Vaccination and Request for Accommodation. 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. Hiring and Staffing Dept. 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. 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 . a description of the accommodation you are requesting; the reason you need an accommodation; and. 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. 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. Bunting recalled one employee who claimed that being a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles was a religion and he needed Sundays off. 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. Please give this request consideration at your earliest convenience. 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. Please contact dining@jhu.edu or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. Work on Sunday or holidays in place of Saturday. 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. Document accommodations the employer tried to make and that the employee rejected. This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. The Orthodox Union certifies the Kosher program and offers lunch and dinner Sundays through Thursdays and lunch on Fridays. Some examples include: 4. 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. Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . % Your printed name. $(document).ready(function () { . 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) The University may request the student provide information to support the need for an accommodation based on the student's sincerely held religious belief. For accommodation ideas by disability or limitation, visit JANs A to Z page. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Your signature It's been wonderful working here, everyone is very supporting and company really acknowledges employees work. Contact the University Chaplains Office only if there is a conflict in making the accommodations for a religious/cultural observance. 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. This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. Sincerely, 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. Click the link TO DOWNLOAD A RAMADAN RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST TEMPLATE. 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. It was created to assist you while you are recovering. I am grateful for my job, and always strive to do my very best at work. Hence, you will need to write a hardship letter religious accommodation discrimination. 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. 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. 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. Treat every employee's reasonable accommodation request as legitimate on its face. Dear Boss, First, I request a religious exemption. Step 4. This includes people who belong to traditional, organized religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism or Sikhism, as well as people who have newer or less common religious beliefs, and atheists. Recognizing a Religious Accommodation RequestThe Office of Institutional Equity ("OIE") receives and reviews all religious accommodation requests, including but not limited to vaccine exceptionrequests. Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. {Your Name} An official website of the United States government. 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. 4. 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. The Sabbath is sacred to me and I devote these hours to God. But for employees who need more ideas, the following examples offer additional guidance about how to communicate the need for an accommodation for various types of medical conditions. I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures, File a Discrimination and Harassment Report, ADA Compliance and Disability Accommodations, Accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, Faculty and Staff Workplace Accommodations, Faculty and Staff Workplace Accommodation RequestForm, Documentation Guidelines for Individuals with Disabilities, Pre-Entrance Health Requirement Deadlines, Homewood Campus: University Housing Religious Accommodation Request Form. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. The Justice Centre does not have a standard template to address such individual beliefs. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. c. Types of Accommodation Requests. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: To request a religious accommodation: You must submit the Request for Religious Accommodation Form t o your Departmental HR Manager (DHRM) or their designee. Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. Accordingly, employers should treat religious exemption requests with care and consistency, as a matter of law and respect for your employees.Requesting a religious exemption is not a free pass, though. I would also be open to any other suggestions that you might have. I have pain in my lower back. Employers can request additional information when religious accommodations are requested, Bunting noted. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. It covers COVID-19 vaccine requirements and mandates, too. 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. 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.

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