Watch the following videos about religious accommodation. Old Country Buffet Acc
ID: 351167 • Letter: W
Question
Watch the following videos about religious accommodation.
Old Country Buffet Accused of Discrimination
Church Of Body Modification
New Skirt Length Policy Prompts Muslim Walk-Out at Minn. Business
For each video, answer the following set of questions:
Should the individual be accommodated in the workplace? Or would the requested accommodation impose an undue hardship on the employer? Why?
Should employers be required to accommodate an individual's religious practices? Why or why not?
In your experience as an employee or working in HR, have you encountered any instances of religious accommodations? What happened? Did it seem reasonable to you?
Please write not less than 500 words.
Explanation / Answer
All the cases depict conflict between the religious beliefs and tolerance limits of an organization to accomodate those religious obligations of individuals. In one case, an prospective employee was barred from the interview because she wore a headscarf. Another case is about a faith that advocates body modification through tattoo, piercing etc. to establish a link between body and soul, while in the third one, religiously inclined employees are up in arms against the employer because they are asked not to wear long skirts due to safety reasons.
Each case is different and deserves to be looked at with different perspectives. An individual sporting an attire to respect her religious beliefs should be accomodated as a part of promoting diversity at workplace, because if does not affect anyone. However, a skirt violating the hygiene and safety regulations at the workplace should be banned. Same goes with those practicing body modification. A small tattoo on forearm is hardly like to offend someone while an elaborate design on the tonsured head is certainly going to offend some. Such cases can be accomodated to work in a non client facing roles, again depending on the degree of devotion of the individual and the degree of tolerance of employer.
No generalised statement can be made regarding the issue because every case is different from the others, however, any religious belief that compromises the safety and security of the individual and the others, or an act that is likely to offend the employees and customers should come secondary to the organizational decorrum. Wearning a scarf or turban should however be accomodated.
One incident which I remember was asking for a separate, secluded place of worship by a group of Muslim employees who found it difficult to reach the nearest mosque, five times a day. They were given a small sunny patch in the backyard where they could offer prayers in a tranquil environment. It was a gesture widely welcomed by the muslims and everyone else alike.
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