Guest column: Be sensitive to religion
| Monday, Nov 09 2009 03:01 PM
Last Updated Monday, Nov 09 2009 03:01 PM
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Robin Paggi
Religion-based discrimination filings were at an all-time high last year, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Because we are approaching the holiday season when religious occasions are celebrated, it’s a good time to review the EEOC guidelines addressing religious bias in the workplace.
What is a religion? The term includes traditional organized religions (e.g. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.) as well as uncommon or new religions. It also includes ethical or moral beliefs that are sincerely held to the degree that they are viewed as a religion. Title VII protects us from discrimination and harassment based on our religion even when it seems irrelevant, illogical, or unreasonable to others. We are also protected because we profess not to have a religion.
What does it mean to be protected? Employers cannot:
• Refuse to recruit, hire, or promote individuals because of their religion or impose stricter or different work requirements on them.
• Select one applicant over another because of the applicant’s religion.
• Exclude an applicant because he or she may need an accommodation, such as time off for religious purposes.
• Impose stricter or different requirements on expression of a particular religion at work (e.g. allowing one employee to keep a Bible on his desk while telling another to keep his copy of the Quran out of sight).
Employers must:
• Prevent harassment based on religion.
• Provide a reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs and practices, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship on the employer.
Employers should:
• Be sensitive to religious differences in the theme, title and decorations of holiday work parties.
Respecting the religious views, or lack thereof, of applicants and employees is the law. Employers can show their employees that they not only comply with the law, but value the diversity it brings to the workplace by demonstrating sensitivity and respect for all beliefs during the holiday season.
Robin Paggi is a Certified Human Resources Professional with KDG Human Resource Solutions, a division of the Klein, DeNatale, Goldner law firm.
