Religion In The Workplace
Is There A Place For Religion In The Workplace?
Is there a place for religion in the workplace? Some say no, others say yes. The answer probably lies somewhere in between. In our country we have separation of church and state. In the business community we normally keep business and religion apart as well. An exception may be the workplace in a religiously based organization, but even there, certain rules regarding the mix of religion with affairs of day to day business, may apply. Note that we are not discussing moral or ethical issues, but religious ones. Anyone has the right to expect to work in an environment that adheres to good moral and ethical practices, just as anyone also has the right to object to a workplace environment in which they are being pressured by the religious beliefs of others.
It should really make no difference whether your boss or the company owner is a devoutly religious person or a militant atheist. You may prefer working for one over the other, but that is not the issue here. The issue is that in the workplace, you have a right to go about your business without having anyone trying to impose their particular beliefs on you. You also have the right to go about your job without fear of being discriminated against, because of your own beliefs. This isn't just good business practice, it's the law. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 specifically states, that an employer must provide "reasonable accommodation" to an employee's religious beliefs and practices. While the statute appears to offer a little wiggle room, the fact that you may not be discriminated against because of your beliefs is very much the law. What Title VII does do, is provide certain protections to employers as well, which we'll get to next.
An employer is not required to retain an employee if his or her religious practices interfere with the company's business operations. In other words, if you belong to a cult which celebrates 25 holidays a year, and does not allow you to work on Thursdays, your employer would probably be justified in letting you go. Your employer would still have to show that your practices are having a negative impact on the business, but would probably be successful in doing so. Many businesses respect a person's beliefs that they should not work on a Sunday, or the Sabbath, and most businesses respect the holy days of the major religions, and do not expect or require an employee of the faith to work on such days.
If you find yourself in a position where there is, or may be, conflicts between your religious practices and the rules of the workplace, you should make every effort to address the issue up front with management or Human Relations. Better yet, bring the issue up in the course of the job interview. Your employer may be willing to make concessions for you, or a resolution agreeable to both you and your employer may be worked out. Just don't take the concept of freedom of religion in the workplace as license to do as you wish, as far as your beliefs are concerned. If you tell your boss that you won't be coming in to work for the next three days because of a religious holiday, and your boss has had no prior warning, you may well be faced with making the choice of staying at work or leaving for good. Your employer generally has the legal right to legally discharge an employee for excessive absences from work, even if for religious reasons.
Just remember, the employer has the right to enforce those rules and regulations in place to serve the best interests of the organization, and the courts will as often as not take your employer's side. Actions based on religious beliefs, interfering with business operations, can be interpreted as practicing religion in the workplace, and have no legal standing.