Homewood Housing Requests:The university recognizes that student observance of their faith may require special consideration for housing assignments. Please note that accommodation requests received past the deadline will not be considered until afterhousing assignments are determined. Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. And here is where the vaccine issue becomes even more complicated. For example. Some examples include: Permitting a student or employee to take a particular day or time period off for a religious holiday; Permitting flexible scheduling; and Providing a student or employee with a time and place to pray. LockA locked padlock 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. (1) Observances of Worship and Holy Days. This letter is in reply to your request for accommodation approval. Your manager may not be familiar with your church, and the law doesn't require employers to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every religion. Your name 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. } Send religious accommodation letter sample via email, link, or fax. 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 . On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. c. Types of Accommodation Requests. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. Please contact dining@jhu.edu or consult the Hopkins dining webpage if you have additional questions. Employer Letter Example: Vaccine Mandate Objection No authorship claim or copyright asserted.A letter that also came to me via a route like a letter in a bottle. The Sabbath is sacred to me and I devote these hours to God. Religious Exemption letter. 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. 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. *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. Document accommodations the employer tried to make and that the employee rejected. 2. 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. You can also download it, export it or print it out. (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. The law requires that employees and employers engage in the Interactive Process. 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. 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). When we met with you, we discussed what type of accommodation you . The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Workplace distractions interfere with my concentration and focus so I would like to try noise cancelling headphones to minimize sound distractions. The Department of the Air Force is processing a number of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. 01. 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. Make a temporary accommodation while a permanent one is being arranged. 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. 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. I would like to request for accommodations to help decrease the pain caused by my back condition. An employee may I request Reasonable Accommodation to have {Company Name} {waive the requirement, provide a substitute, allow shift swap, etc.}. 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. If that effort fails or if the particular University office has questions, students may submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. Please note:To receive a religious accommodation, the religious observance must be one required by one's religious tradition. This form asks for information on the specific religious belief or conviction - whether religious, spiritual, or philosophical - that is the basis of the request, as well as the requestedaccommodation or modification to policy, practice, or schedule. CO/OICs will accommodate . Train managers to recognize religious exemption requests and to refer them to HR. I am a practicing member of {Religion}. 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. 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. I am informed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Subject: Religious Accommodation for [Course Number]. Implementing the Religious Accommodation 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. I have the interest of the company at heart. 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. I have been having medical issues that have affected my mood, sleep schedule, concentration, and focus. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Below I have included some possible ideas that could help at my workstation. The Justice Centre does not have a standard template to address such individual beliefs. An official website of the United States government. Sample Accommodation Request Letter. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. Governor Jay Inslee is requiring thousands of employees to get . 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. SAMPLE REQUEST FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION [EMPLOYMENT] Dear [HR Department]: [Employer] has directed me to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine, or suffer adverse employment action, up to and including termination. Date of Letter It was created to assist you while you are recovering. Financial Hardship Examples, Samples and Articles, Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination, Writing A Hardship Letter Property Repairs. However, I cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine because to do so would violate my sincerely held religious beliefs. In addition, having a list of what I might need to do for the workday/week could also help me keep track of my work. Find your nearest EEOC office Your letter should be a formal one, addressed to the right person. 3. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. Any such request must be in a typed, legible, and double-sided letter. I would like to request accommodations so that I might be able to perform my job effectively before my performance starts to suffer. Request for Religious Accommodation . I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding this 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. 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. {Your Name} 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. 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 . 5. 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. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000 The interactive process starts when a student or employeesubmits a religious accommodation request. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must document: a description of the accommodation you are requesting; Employees may also request workplace adjustments based on other COVID-19 circumstances not related to being in the increased risk category. Unlike with disability accommodations, cost often may be a winning undue hardship argument for employers when religious accommodations are requested. The Interactive Process is the way in which employees, supervisors, and their departments arrive at a reasonable accommodation. However, the rules do stipulate that you must make requests for certain accommodations based on your religious beliefs. Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors. Since our company operates on the basis of a five-day workweek, Monday through Friday, there has not been any problem in my work schedule regarding having the hours of the Sabbath off. Make accommodation policies clear, and apply them equally even if the employer has never heard of the religion. 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. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. 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. Each request is individually reviewed by . 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. x][s} d =@_(3"I7ZqOnmY.=s@C`0NT6_w5_/O?a(Km~]Wy]]? stream You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your . I would also be open to any other suggestions that you might have. [Company Name] is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to any protected status, and a work environment that . 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. Additional information may be requested if needed to evaluate the request. 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. 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. Requests for accommodation should be made at the earliest opportunity once a student has become aware that a conflict exists. Professional Studies and Executive Education, American University's United Methodist Affiliation, submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. 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. . Employers are supposed to start out with the assumption that the employee's religious belief is sincere. Click the link TO DOWNLOAD A RAMADAN RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST TEMPLATE. The first step is to request an accommodation. If there is more than one option, the student affairs representative or employer will balance a student oremployees expressed preference with operational or academic considerations.Religious accommodations can take many forms. 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. temp_style.textContent = '.ms-rtestate-field > p:first-child.is-empty.d-none, .ms-rtestate-field > .fltter .is-empty.d-none, .ZWSC-cleaned.is-empty.d-none {display:block !important;}'; var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); 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. Step 4. That being said, you should write your exemption letter in your own words according . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. To request a religious accommodation: You must submit the Request for Religious Accommodation Form t o your Departmental HR Manager (DHRM) or their designee. I do not wish to have a conflict between my job duties and my obligations to God. 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. State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted. 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 . Religious Exemption Letter. Leading up to the holiday, Hopkins Dining will refine their planning and will distribute full details to students prior to the beginning of Ramadan. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. I am willing to come to work earlier on Fridays, come to work on Sunday, or to cooperate in whatever arrangements may need to be made so I can retain my Sabbath observance according to my convictions. 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. Consider the request. These may prove helpful to consult. }\_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 Hence, your letter should also explain how your request will only pose a minor burden. Your session has expired. 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 . Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. This is false. 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. % I have joined the office 5 months ago. 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. nd OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. 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 . The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. The VMS will be accessible via the myJH portal when it goes live on July 1. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); }, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly. An applicant or employee to practice or observe his or her religion. On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. 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.. Kosher Meal Plans: The university offers severalKosher meal plan optionsthat can be used at the The Taam Tov section of theHopkins Cafe. Manager Responsibilities - Reasonable Accommodation Tips, 131 M Street, NE 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. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); I am grateful for my job, and always strive to do my very best at work. 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. 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. a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. Please enable scripts and reload this page. 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. Your signature Companies, however, have a leg up on public-sector employers when it comes to dealing with religious challenges to vaccine mandates. 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. Monitoring the Religious AccommodationBecause changes occur, student affairs representatives and employers may need to periodically check on the ongoing effectiveness of religious accommodations. Religious accommodation is covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employer's address. A lock ( 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. T hank you for considering my request. Staff with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability shall immediately contact their . Thank you for your consideration and understanding in this matter. Official websites use .gov 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. Examples of Accommodations We strive to be creative and flexible in arriving at a reasonable accommodation. Avoid application of punitive leave policies. Rising sophomores (Class of 2025): Thursday, March 3, 2022, Incoming students (Class of 2026 and transfer sophomores): TBD. 6. 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. If there are any other ideas or options that you could provide it would be greatly appreciated. You are exclusively responsible and bear all risks associated with any user-generated content you submit or read. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: 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. << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 5511 >> The Interactive Process can begin in a number of ways. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. Share sensitive In Exodus 20, the Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and to refrain from work on that day. 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). As this would cause minimal burden for only minor {rescheduling, uniform changes, etc. student affairs representatives, faculty, managers, and/or supervisors) who participated in the interactive process. If students are sabbath-observant, they must make this fact known to their professors for any course in which Saturday work is required. 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. The description of the [modified/alternate] employment is as follows (include description of accommodation here): This is a temporary accommodation, not.