religious accommodation request letter sample religious accommodation request letter sample

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. This is false. This letter is in reply to your request for accommodation approval. Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. Click the link TO DOWNLOAD A RAMADAN RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST TEMPLATE. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Avoid application of punitive leave policies. 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. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. That being said, you should write your exemption letter in your own words according . I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. An employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. Ask your manager to meet with you. The first step is to request an accommodation. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. Your printed name. For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. 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. 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. Unlike with disability accommodations, cost often may be a winning undue hardship argument for employers when religious accommodations are requested. Other objective reasons that the employer has to believe the requested accommodation isn't being sought for religious reasons. Because many people still do not want to be vaccinated, a number of websites have . Employers can request additional information when religious accommodations are requested, Bunting noted. 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. This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. Recognizing a Religious Accommodation RequestThe Office of Institutional Equity ("OIE") receives and reviews all religious accommodation requests, including but not limited to vaccine exceptionrequests. info@eeoc.gov {Your Phone #} Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. Be aware of differences in state law. 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 . }\_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 Embed Request Forms in Your Site. 4. An employee may I have joined the office 5 months ago. On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. 11/2/21 Updated religious exemption template Attached is a sample template that can be modified for your use as your prepare your employee religious exemption. This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. When we met with you, we discussed what type of accommodation you . 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. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. 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. If it impacts safety, the employer can also say no to the accommodation request, she said. [Company name] (the Company) has engaged in good faith written and/or oral communications 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. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. 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. Date of Letter I have pain in my lower back. 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. When May an Employer Reject a Religious Accommodation Request? [2]It is important for student affairs representatives, faculty, human resources, and supervisors to recognize a request and to refer the student or employee to OIE to initiate the interactive process. Don't be afraid to gently question the sincerity of the religion. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. I do not wish to have a conflict between my job duties and my obligations to God. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them atdining@jhu.edu. This site contains User-Generated Content, meaning any and all information and content that a user submits to the Site. stream Religious Accommodation Request Template. document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. 01. religious accommodation is met with resentment and jealousy by co-workers it is still a viable solution. One option that I would propose is [enter request]. Once an Airman or Guardian requests a vaccination exemption for religious reasons in writing to their commander, a chaplain is . 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. 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. 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 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. Please contact dining@jhu.edu or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. An employer must try to arrange to allow the employee to meet these religious obligations. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. 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. 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. 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. 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). 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. 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. According to company policy at {Company Name}, I am required to {participate in function/religious event, follow certain dress codes, work on certain days, work certain hours, etc.}. 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. Your name I request Reasonable Accommodation to have {Company Name} {waive the requirement, provide a substitute, allow shift swap, etc.}. 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. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? 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. Requests for reasonable accommodation to participate in pre-employment polygraph examinations must be submitted to the Office . 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. 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. State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. Employees requesting a religious accommodation shall immediately contact their local Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator. If students are sabbath-observant, they must make this fact known to their professors for any course in which Saturday work is required. 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. 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. Step 4. A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors. Edit your religious accommodation approval letter online Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. {Your Loan #}. In most cases, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate University office first, contacting professors, residential life, or dining services. The first step in requesting an accommodation in the workplace is to decide how to make the request. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { 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. You are exclusively responsible and bear all risks associated with any user-generated content you submit or read. Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. 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. Subject: Assertion of Religious Exemption to Vaccination and Request for Accommodation. I often suggest employees consider making a written request so they can decide what to say and how to say it without the stress of a face-to-face meeting with their employer. 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.. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. 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. . Thank you in advance for accommodating my request. REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION / ACCOMMODATION RELATED TO [COMPANY NAME'S] COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY by offering opportunities for discussion, reminding people of available support services, and leading at a difficult time with compassion and empathy. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. 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. nd OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. All content available on or through samplehardshipletter.org is for general information purposes only. The University Chaplain will also consult with others related to the student's request. 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. Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? 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. 3. 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. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. 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 . Religious Exemption Letter. Don't, for example, automatically laugh when an employee says he or she is a follower of the Jedi. 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 . This includes accommodations you need during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you stay healthy and be able to work. 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. Under the Equal Employment regulations, I am entitled to accommodations provided that they do not cause undue hardship to the company. Sitting or standing for long periods of time in the same position is causing increased pain and is decreasing my mobility. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter DATE EMPLOYER NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE RE: (YOUR NAME): Dear (NAME), As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. 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. 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. So you can pray. Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . 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. 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). Treat every employee's reasonable accommodation request as legitimate on its face. 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. 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. } 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. 4. 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. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. 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.