Law | The Dailey Grind

English: Eleanor Holmes Norton as Chair of the EEOC, 1977 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you know the law concerning your rights as an employee pertaining to accommodation and religious or spiritual beliefs?

The Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC), enforces the law on your behalf.

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), and Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

For the sake of equal rights, your religious freedom and belief thereof are first priority with the employer as soon as you:

1) voice your belief, and

2) put that belief in writing.

A definitive view of a belief about religion says, “a religious creed or faith”. (i.e., Hebrew, Christian, Muslim).

The EEOC gives this view as well about religious accommodation saying, “Religious Discrimination & Reasonable Accommodation. The law requires an employer or other covered entity to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs or practices, unless doing so would cause more than a minimal burden on the operations of the employer’s business. This means an employer may be required to make reasonable adjustments to the work environment that will allow an employee to practice his or her religion.Examples of some common religious accommodations include flexible scheduling, voluntary shift substitutions or swaps, job reassignments, and modifications to workplace policies or practices.”

Of course, one must consider their motive and the fact that many employers already provide accommodation for those of the Christian belief, allowing those to go to work after the service.

To read more, click here: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Watch: Religious Discrimination for Learning and Development Training