religious accommodation request letter sample religious accommodation request letter sample

Religious Exemption Letter. Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. Financial Hardship Examples, Samples and Articles, Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination, Writing A Hardship Letter Property Repairs. However, the rules do stipulate that you must make requests for certain accommodations based on your religious beliefs. 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. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { Given ongoing construction in our building and increased dust from it, my allergy symptoms have greatly increased. 02. Your manager may not be familiar with your church, and the law doesn't require employers to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every religion. So you can pray. 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. Your letter should be a formal one, addressed to the right person. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. Notice of Liability Sample Letter. [email protected] 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. Students and employees must generally submit religious accommodation requests annually. Religious Accommodation Request Template. 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. 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. 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). CO/OICs will accommodate . For instance, if you are unable to work on a Sunday, offer to work on a different unpopular shift instead, so that your colleagues are not disproportionately disadvantaged by your request either. Consider the request. I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. Please note:To receive a religious accommodation, the religious observance must be one required by one's religious tradition. Must an . $('.container-footer').first().hide(); stream 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 [email protected]. This is a matter of considerable importance and urgency to me. You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. 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. 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. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. 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. After initiating your religious objection request via the action center and returning the requested documentation, a representative from Employee and Labor Relations will respond to requests for religious exceptions from staff employees and Academic Personnel will respond to requests for religious exceptions from Faculty and other academic Ramadan Meal Options:Hopkins Dining is happy to add additional services and holiday specific menu items for students during Ramadan. 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. 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 . var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); [Company Name] is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to any protected status, and a work environment that . Please give this request consideration at your earliest convenience. The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> I am a practicing member of {Religion}. I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. 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. {Your Phone #} Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Examples of possible . The hiring manager had assured her that [] The University may request the student provide information to support the need for an accommodation based on the student's sincerely held religious belief. Sign it in a few clicks Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. (3) A request for the accommodation of religious practices may be granted in whole or in part. 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. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Subject: Assertion of Religious Exemption to Vaccination and Request for Accommodation. Step 4. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. Treat every employee's reasonable accommodation request as legitimate on its face. 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. Hence, your letter should also explain how your request will only pose a minor burden. This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the Site. The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. 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. I would like to request for accommodations to help decrease the pain caused by my back condition. Sitting or standing for long periods of time in the same position is causing increased pain and is decreasing my mobility. 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. 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 . $(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 . 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. 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 . Erin Mulvaney. {Your Loan #}. 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. Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. 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. State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. 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. T hank you for considering my request. Sample Accommodation Request Letter. To permit me to have Sabbath off once or twice a month would not suffice as a reasonable accommodation, since it would still force me to choose between my religion and my job. If an accommodation would violate a collective bargaining agreement, it would result in an undue hardship. There is no public health emergency. (1) Observances of Worship and Holy Days. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Bunting recalled one employee who claimed that being a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles was a religion and he needed Sundays off. This isn't really a religious request, so the employer can push back and request a letter from a faith leader, she said. 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 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 . The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. 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 policy guarantees that you are not unduly prevented from observing your religious practice; it does not necessarily guarantee the observance of that practice at a particular time or in a particular location (e.g. Suspicious timing might arise if a worker requests and is denied time off on a Saturday and then the worker claims to have joined a religious organization that meets then and revives the request. 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. Your name The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. 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. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other requirement. Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . 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. This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. Dear Boss, First, I request a religious exemption. For example, if someone wants to wear long, loose-fitting religious attire near a bagel slicer, the employer might decline the request, but try to find another position for the worker away from the bagel slicer. The employer shouldn't assume there is an undue hardship or automatically reject the requested accommodation but engage in a conversation with the employee about accommodation, Bunting said. 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. 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. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. 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. 2. 01. 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 . Work on Sunday or holidays in place of Saturday. JAN provides free, confidential technical assistance about job accommodations and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employer's name {Your Name} I would like to work with you to explore how I can meet the requirements of your course while still honoring my religious practice. The Interactive Process is the way in which employees, supervisors, and their departments arrive at a reasonable accommodation. 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. 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. I am writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. 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. There are many types of accommodations. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. 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. 4. Expand your toolbox with the tools and techniques needed to fix your organizations unique needs. Secular activitiesshopping, sports, employment, and entertainmentare laid aside. 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. 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. (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. % Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. } This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. how the accommodation will help resolve the conflict between your religious beliefs or practices and a university policy, procedure, or other academic requirement. Employer's address. {Your Address} 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. A lock ( 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. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding this request. Each request is individually reviewed by . Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. Sabbath observance is so important to Adventists that it is part of our churchs name, i.e., Seventh-day.. To have your request for a religious academic/workplace accommodation considered, please review the following process: 1. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. At JAN, I often discuss options with employees about what might be useful to include and how to clearly explain what accommodation is needed. Employers can push backgentlyon religious accommodation requests and don't have to grant requests that would result in an undue hardship, which is much easier for employers to show for religious accommodation requests than disability accommodation requests. Avoid application of punitive leave policies. Your address 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. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them [email protected]. However, unless the disability or the need for accommodation is obvious, it is the . For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. Unlike with disability accommodations, cost often may be a winning undue hardship argument for employers when religious accommodations are requested. 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. I am enrolled in your course [course number]. 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 Kosher Meal Plans: The university offers severalKosher meal plan optionsthat can be used at the The Taam Tov section of theHopkins Cafe. 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. Pursuant to DoDI 1300.17, Accommodation of Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. Thank you in advance for accommodating my request. Other objective reasons that the employer has to believe the requested accommodation isn't being sought for religious reasons. 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. Sample Hardship Letter Financial Hardship Letters Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination. What should I do if an applicant or employee asks for breaks, leave or other changes to a work situation because of his medical condition or his religious beliefs? 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 . 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. OIE will then gather the necessary informationtoconsiderthe request. You are entitled to make this request, and your employer must make these accommodations based on the law of Equal Employment Opportunity. 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. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. I have the interest of the company at heart. 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). 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. If employers get an accommodation request from a believer in a religion that is so obscure there's no faith leader, Bunting recommended asking the employee to e-mail HR a paragraph describing why the worker needs to be accommodated for religious reasons, judging its sincerity and, if determined to be sincere, granting the accommodation. Explain that you would like an accommodation to allow you to practice your religion at work. Under the Equal Employment regulations, I am entitled to accommodations provided that they do not cause undue hardship to the company. However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. 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. Examples of Accommodations We strive to be creative and flexible in arriving at a reasonable accommodation.