SPOKANE, Wash - State employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine now have a way to request religious and medical exemptions. 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.If you have questions or concerns, please contactoie@jhu.edu. 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. Sabbath observance is so important to Adventists that it is part of our churchs name, i.e., Seventh-day.. Employer's name Religious Exemption letter. 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. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Ramadan Meal Options:Hopkins Dining is happy to add additional services and holiday specific menu items for students during Ramadan. Please log in as a SHRM member. 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. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must document: a description of the accommodation you are requesting; 3. 3 0 obj } 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. 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. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); Student Vaccine ExceptionRequests:Whenever possible, students should submit vaccine exceptionrequests to OIE at least 30 days in advance of Pre-Entrance Health Requirement Deadlines and OIE will do its best to respond in a timely manner. As this would cause minimal burden for only minor {rescheduling, uniform changes, etc. A final thing to remember is that, as stated, while it is your right to have these accommodations made where possible, you must formally request them. 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. You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your . The accommodation [will begin or began] on [date] and end based upon future doctor visits. Find your nearest EEOC office 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. 02. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. PO Box 81489 Middlesex, NJ 08 Fax Number: Your accommodation request will be reviewed by your . Religious Accommodation Request Resolution Employee (identified below) has requested an accommodation related to a religious belief, practice, and/or requirement. Whenever possible, such requests should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the desired accommodation. Writing A Hardship Letter To Social Security. 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. A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. Professional Studies and Executive Education, American University's United Methodist Affiliation, submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. 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 . It was created to assist you while you are recovering. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { 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.. 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. Your signature Hence, your letter should also explain how your request will only pose a minor burden. The sample letter linked contains false information such as: The COVID-19 vaccines are experimental gene therapy. 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;}'; 01. {Your Loan #}. Change employee to a shift or department that does not operate on Friday night or Saturday. Religious Accommodation Request Template. If the employer discovers the employee lied, then the employer has an additional factor to consider. 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 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. 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. if there are additional services at other times, or services offered on campus versus at a home congregation). You can also download it, export it or print it out. The University Chaplain will also consult with others related to the student's request. 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. You are exclusively responsible and bear all risks associated with any user-generated content you submit or read. 4. Sign it in a few clicks Some examples include: 4. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. Housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs may limit occupancy to members as. I will be very grateful if you could assist me in achieving a suitable schedule to avoid such a conflict. $(document).ready(function () { 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. 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 am informed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Here in Canada the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) offers this advice: The religious objections held by individuals to specific vaccines will vary significantly. Homewood Housing Requests:The university recognizes that student observance of their faith may require special consideration for housing assignments. }, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. 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. The most effective way to monitor religious accommodations is to encourage ongoing communication.Religious accommodations remain in effect through the date included on the approval letter unless the student or employee is notified by the University of a change. As we approach the winter months, however, the sun sets earlier than at present. 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). Please note:To receive a religious accommodation, the religious observance must be one required by one's religious tradition. Employers can request additional information when religious accommodations are requested, Bunting noted. 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. 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. Thank you in advance for accommodating my request. The law protects people who have sincere religious, ethical or moral beliefs. If students are sabbath-observant, they must make this fact known to their professors for any course in which Saturday work is required. 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. This catalog is the document of authority for all students and includes undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students. whether the employee requesting a religious accommodation to a Covid-19 vaccination requirement works outdoors or indoors; whether the employee works in a solitary or group work setting, or has . Other objective reasons that the employer has to believe the requested accommodation isn't being sought for religious reasons. Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter DATE EMPLOYER NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE RE: (YOUR NAME) Dear (NAME): I am writing to request religious accommodation for my observance of Sabbath. Site information is not to be replaced with or considered professional medical advice. The description of the [modified/alternate] employment is as follows (include description of accommodation here): This is a temporary accommodation, not. Whatever adjustments need to be made, you can count on me to do everything I can to cooperate fully. Please note that accommodation requests received past the deadline will not be considered until afterhousing assignments are determined. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dear Professor [last name], I am enrolled in your course [course number]. Particular considerations for different accommodation types include: A request for a religious accommodation for housing must be made before housing is requested. {Your Name} 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. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. There are many types of accommodations. Inconsistent behavior with the professed belief. 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 . 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) Gathering InformationOIE asks students and employees to complete the religious accommodation request form. A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow an employee or applicant to practice his or her religion. 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. As I believe you are aware, I am a Seventh-day Adventist. Questions #1-7: Basic Information Questions 1 - 7 require . Secular activitiesshopping, sports, employment, and entertainmentare laid aside. If accommodation is easy, do it," said Kelly Dobbs Bunting, an attorney with Greenberg Traurig in Philadelphia, speaking at the SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference 2022on March 30 in Washington, D.C. The Interactive Process can begin in a number of ways. 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. For example. Official websites use .gov employee-religious-exemption-november-2021 Download Vaccine Religious Exemption On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. Date of Letter 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. 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. Manager Responsibilities - Reasonable Accommodation Tips, 131 M Street, NE OIE will then gather the necessary informationtoconsiderthe request. *If you are a graduate student and the portal does not work for you, please contact Dining to be manually added. Depending on the circumstances, some examples of workplace accommodations may include: providing a woven cloth mask or personal protective equipment (PPE); physical distancing or modifying the work environment; modifying work schedules; This is false. 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. These may prove helpful to consult. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone) 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. I am (mention your name) on behalf of (mention company name) and would like to say that, the department provider's letter you submitted to us on [mention date] stated that you have the following work problem. All content available on or through samplehardshipletter.org is for general information purposes only. [1] Faculty/staff are hereafter referred to as employee(s).[2] Students who cannot take a quiz, test, or final exam on a scheduled date due to a religious observance must inform OIE of any conflicts before the semesters add/drop deadline, or as soon as possible after a particular assignment or examination date is announced. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); 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. (3) A request for the accommodation of religious practices may be granted in whole or in part. 3. The Sabbath is sacred to me and I devote these hours to God. Unlike with disability accommodations, cost often may be a winning undue hardship argument for employers when religious accommodations are requested. 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. Religious Exemption Letter. 5. Once OIE has all supporting documentation, it will strive for a 5 business day turnaround. 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. 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. 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 As part of our commitment to diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination, the University makes good faith efforts to reconcile potential conflicts between an individuals strongly heldreligious, spiritual or philosophicalbeliefs and university work or academic requirements. student affairs representatives, faculty, managers, and/or supervisors) who participated in the interactive process. Questions regarding applying for housing should be directed to Housing Operations at (410) 516-7960 or housing@jhu.edu. "Each of the manufactures of the Covid vaccines currently available developed and confirmed their vaccines using fetal cell lines, which originated from aborted fetuses. 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. 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.}. [Company name] (the Company) has engaged in good faith written and/or oral communications The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. 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 . stream On [enter date or dates] we will be observing [name of holiday]. However, the law does stipulate that the employer only has to conform if the accommodation will not cause the company any undue hardship. 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). If that effort fails or if the particular University office has questions, students may submit an online request for reasonable religious accommodations. 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 employer that requires vaccinations against COVID-19 must grant sincere religious accommodation requests, so long as they. Companies, however, have a leg up on public-sector employers when it comes to dealing with religious challenges to vaccine mandates. For incoming students, a request must be made at the earliest possible opportunity after admission. Your session has expired. 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. Be aware of differences in state law. 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. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); Additional information may be requested if needed to evaluate the request. 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). 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. Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. This is a matter of considerable importance and urgency to me. 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. Workplace distractions interfere with my concentration and focus so I would like to try noise cancelling headphones to minimize sound distractions. 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. 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. Examples of possible . 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. In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could . The religious accommodation request, if filed with an employment agency, may be submitted to the agency to whom the employee currently has a personnel management relationship. However, writing such an initial request can feel intimidating and employees can get nervous about what to include in the letter and how to word it. There is no public health emergency. In the meantime, they welcome feedback or questions from students who can reach them atdining@jhu.edu. 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. 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. However, unless the disability or the need for accommodation is obvious, it is the . Sabbath Accommodation Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors. 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. For Academic accommodations requests, students should seek to make arrangements with the appropriate professors first at the earliest opportunity. Because many people still do not want to be vaccinated, a number of websites have . You are encouraged to submit your request for accommodation ten (10) business days following implementation of the vaccination policy. Sabbath Accommodation - Sundown Request - Employee Letter, Seventh-day Adventist Publications on Church - State Subjects. I have experienced an increase in fatigue, as well as eye irritation. Please enable scripts and reload this page. This observance coincides with [name of assignment] that is listed on the syllabus. 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. (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. Step 4. 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. 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. Please let me know if you need additional information or would like to discuss additional ideas. I am enrolled in your course [course number]. As such, I am unable to {work on Sunday mornings, shave my beard, etc.}. 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. It is the policy of the University of Washington to reasonably accommodate students' religious observances in accordance with RCW 28B.137.010.. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. I am writing this letter to submit a request for accommodations in the workplace. Sample Email - Religious Accommodation Request. Your manager may not be familiar with your church, and the law doesn't require employers to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every religion. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. Implementing the Religious Accommodation Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why. {Your Phone #} Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. I have pain in my lower back. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to engage in an interactive process. The University may suggest an alternative accommodation it deems reasonable to accommodate a request. 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 you are a practicing member of a certain religion. [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. Hence, you will need to write a hardship letter religious accommodation discrimination. The Department's reasonable accommodation policy is outlined within Personnel Bulletin 21-03 Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities.