Accommodations Related to Religion
Overview
University Religious Accommodations Policy
Important Terms and Definitionsplus or minus
Employees: includes all faculty and staff.
OED: is the Office of Equity and Diversity.
Interactive Process: The interactive process is the ongoing process by which the University, through the Office of Equity and Diversity, and the employee engage in a dialogue to determine what, if any, accommodations may be implemented to allow the employee to practice their religious beliefs and to perform the job duties with the University. The process may include obtaining and reviewing information about the tenets of the employee’s religion.
Religion: is broadly defined by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Religious beliefs, practices, and observances include those that are theistic and non-theistic (moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views). Title VII requires employers to accommodate religious beliefs, practices, and observances if the beliefs are “sincerely held” and if the reasonable accommodation poses no undue hardship to the University.
Religious Accommodation: A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow the employee to practice or otherwise observe a sincerely held religious practice or belief. Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis by the Office of Equity and Diversity.
Requesting a Religious Accommodationplus or minus
Employees must complete the Religious Accommodation Request Form and return the completed form to OED to start the interactive process. If OED receives information that an employee may require a religious accommodation, via email, telephone or third party, OED will contact the employee and request that the employee complete the Religious Accommodation Request Form.
The form requires information related to the religious or seriously held belief or practice for which the employee is requesting an accommodation, as well as the requested accommodation or modification to policy, practice, or schedule. The employee must detail the nature of the work conflict. Whenever possible, employees should make the request at least 15 business days in advance of the desired accommodation.
STUDENTS: Contact the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) for Religious Accommodations.
Click here .Supervisory Responsibilitiesplus or minus
Supervisory employees of the University are required to refer employees who may require a religious accommodation to OED within 48 hours of the request, or as soon as reasonably possible, for processing in accordance with this policy.** OED will work directly with the employee, and consult with the Department, as necessary, to determine an appropriate accommodation. During the interactive process, a Department supervisor must work with OED to provide a suggestion for an alternative accommodation if called upon by OED.
Office of Equity and DiversityUniversity of ScrantonInstitute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Suite 315Phone: (570)941-6645**This policy is not intended to conflict with the Faculty Absence Policy. If there is a conflict between this policy and the Faculty Absence Policy, the Faculty Absence Policy shall prevail.
Filing an Appeal or Complaintplus or minus
Filing an Appeal: Eligibility for accommodation is determined through an interactive process between the individual employee and OED. If an accommodation is denied, the individual employee may choose to pursue an appeal through the following processes. Appeals must be filed by the employee within 15 business days of being denied.
In writing to the Vice President of Human Resources, explain:
- the requested accommodation
- the accommodation provided, if any
- medical documentation supporting the requested accommodation
- a brief summary of what occurred during the interactive process and
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attach any and all communication between the individual and OED
The Vice President of Human Resources will contact OED for a written response to the appeal, and OED will have 15 business days to respond to the Vice President. The Vice President will issue a decision within 15 business days of receiving OED's response.
Filing a Complaint: Applicants denied a job, or an equal opportunity to apply for a job, based on a protected class may file and process a complaint pursuant to the University’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. Employees can process a harassment or discrimination complaint pursuant to the University’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy.
