I urge you to review EEOC's page on religious acommodations: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/what-you-should-know-workplace-religious-accommodation
On how religion is defined:
A religious practice may be sincerely held by an individual even if newly adopted, not consistently observed, or different from the commonly followed tenets of the individual's religion.
Remember that you are already exempt. You are just trying to get your emplyer to acknowledge the exemption.
Social, political, or economic philosophies, or personal preferences, are not "religious" beliefs under Title VII.
Make sure to not stray into social, political, or economic philosophies, or into scie tific arguments.
Title VII also prohibits disparate treatment, job segregation, or harassment based on religious belief or practice (or lack thereof), as well as retaliation for the exercise of EEO rights.
They are asking you intrusive questions about your religious beliefs because they want to harass and discriminate against your religion. Don't let them.
In your response I would tell your employer that: - You already have a religious exemption. - You want your employer to acknowlege it. - That the Inquisition-style prying into your religious beliefs will be construed as harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
However, they CAN ask you about your religious beliefs for the purpose of acommodating them. They can demand this to be an interactive process. They might ask you to wear a mask all the time or get tested weekly instead if the vaccine. Is this acceptable to you or do these things also go against your religion?
Asking to work from home, if that is an option, could be one reasonable acommodation they could provide.
How should I answer then? Canyon write me an answer lol 😆 you seem well versed about this. I just don't know if I quote the Bible or the fact fetal cells are in it?
Write it like you would a legal document. Look at the law and use that langugage to request they acknowledge your exemption and provide acommodation.
Here's a succinct summary of Title VII:
Title VII requires federal agencies, upon notice of a request, to reasonably accommodate employees whose sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances conflict with work requirements, unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship.
In other words they must acommodate your sincerely held religious belief. The only way they can deny your acommodation is if it places an undue burden on the employer.
We write our request using the language of Title VII.
"Title VII exempts me from receiving the vaccine due to my sincerely held religious beliefs. As a reasonable acommodation I request that you waive the vaccine requirement. Thank you."
It's that simple. Though be prepared for your employer to push back. If the reasons for vaccines is to prevent the spread of covid, you might want to offer them something you would be willing to do instead of getting the vaccine. It's a negotiation. How hard you want to push is up to you and depends on your individual circumstances.
And if they inquire about your religion, remember that the only valid reason for them to do so is to figure out how to acommodate you. Always bring the discussion back to that point.
It was accepted. Thanks 😊 for your help!
So it states what religious beliefs I hold that necessitates this request for accommodation, and that they can ask for more information or just not accept it.
Im too disorganized to keep track of things like this but someone needs to archive this before they change the definition like the WHO
(post is archived)