Without a solid policy on religion, you haven’t a prayer of winning a discrimination case. Here’s some of what that policy should take into account. Also included is a tool to handle virtually all your policy issues without the work and worry of writing these edicts yourself.
With both the Jewish High Holy Days and the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starting tomorrow, the focus this week is on religion in the workplace.
It’s a focus that’s been growing. Partly as a result of religious tensions in the world, and partly due to a fundamentalist revival of many religions, employers need to deal with their workers’ religious lives more than ever. As detailed in yesterday’s Advisor, these dealings have not always been harmonious.
The EEOC reports that religious discrimination charges, brought by workers over questions of time off for observance, wearing of religious garb and symbols, and prayer in the workplace, have increased. So much so that the U.S. Justice Department has created an educational program, “The First Freedom Project,” with nationally held seminars and a website, to teach employers and others their rights and responsibilities.
BLR’s SmartPolicies on CD-ROM supplies 350 HR policies, prewritten for you, and ready to customize or use as is. Examine it at no cost or risk. Click to learn more.
The way to handle the issue, the experts say, is a combination of written policy and flexibility. Yesterday, we talked about flexibility. Here, from our sister BLR newsletter, Best Practices in HR, are some of the key questions to ask in developing a policy on religion in your workplace:
–Diversity. Does your diversity policy specifically mention religion, and not limit it to only traditionally recognized faiths? The EEOC considers any sincerely held system of belief with traditional concepts of right and wrong as a religion. Even atheists get the same rights as any faith group.
–Communication. Is your policy published, with reminders sent at key times of the year when religious events are celebrated? It should also clearly spell out with whom employees need to communicate regarding their religious needs.
–Coverage. Does your policy spell out who is responsible for finding someone to cover for a worker taking time off for religious observance?
–On-site Activities. Do you allow use of your facilities for religious meetings or prayer? If so, you must permit all religions to do so. The same applies if you supply meal choices that meet religious requirements in your cafeteria or at get-togethers. Accommodate everyone’s needs.
–What about display of religious symbols at work spaces? Or the wearing of religious garb, jewelry, or body markings? Remember that you are obligated, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, to accommodate the free expression of religious beliefs unless they cause undue hardship at your organization … and you can convince a court of it.
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Through it all, the common thread is equal treatment. Write a policy that allows the same rights to all and your chances of eliminating discrimination charges are much enhanced.
Writing workplace policies, however, takes a high degree of forethought. The author needs to think through all the implications now, and those that could develop over time. One alternative to doing this yourself is a predeveloped, prewritten policy program such as BLR’s SmartPolicies on CD-ROM.
Its authors have already worked through these issues and have tested the resulting policies at thousands of companies over time. SmartPolicies’ policy on holidays, for example, incorporates the idea of using floating holidays to let workers self-select those days important to them, which accommodates religion with minimal disruption of schedule.
SmartPolicies contains some 350 policies, on 100 topics, arranged alphabetically from Absenteeism and Blogging to Voicemail and Workers’ Compensation. (To see the complete Table of Contents, click on the link below.) What’s more, the CD-ROM format makes these policies easily customized. Just add your company specifics or use as is.
Importantly, as regulation and court decisions clarify your responsibilities on workplace issues, the policies are updated, with new ones added as needed every quarter, at no added charge, as long as you remain in the program.
SmartPolicies on CD-ROM is available to HR Daily Advisor subscribers on a 30-day evaluation basis at no cost or risk … even for return postage. If you’d like to have a look at it, click an appropriate link on this page and we’ll be happy to arrange it.
Download sample policy
Download table of contents