The Need for Religion in the Workplace

Our changing world has the need for religion in the workforce on the rise. Over the past several years’ factors such as terrorist attacks, a shaky economy, increased demand for longer working hours, a reduction in employee retirement benefits and immigration are thought to have contributed to this rise. (Moore, 2010) Along with the increased demand for religion in the workplace comes religious diversity.

Immigration is one cause for creating religious diversity within the workplace. “Over the past 20 years, the United States has granted permanent residency status to an average of about 1 million immigrants each year.” (unknown, 2013) Although many of the immigrants entering into the US are currently Christians other religions are slowly increasing in popularity. “Currently there are approximately 1,500 primary religions in the United States” (Borstorff, 2011). Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist denominations are among the more popular. The increase in religious diversity is causing a need for employers to accommodate employee’s religious demands.

The EEOC states that unless it would create a hardship to the operations of the business an employer must reasonably accommodate religious beliefs or practices. Reasonable accommodations are any changes made to the normal work environment to allow an employee to practice religion. Some of these accommodations include flexible scheduling, shift changes, dress code modifications or any other changes to the workplace policies.

Since there may be several demands for religious accommodation, the employer should offer alternatives that cause the least disadvantages to the employee. Employees and managers should should work together to find the best accommodation to fit the ne...

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...s in the workplace. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 15(2), 43-63. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/497134732?accountid=12085

unknown. (2013, May 17). Pew Research. Retrieved from The Religious Affiliation of U.S. Immigrants: Majority Christian, Rising Share of Other Faiths: http://www.pewforum.org/2013/05/17/the-religious-affiliation-of-us-immigrants/

Citation:

Kelly, E.P., (2008) Accommodating religious expression in the workplace. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal. 30(1), 45-56. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/article/10.1007%2Fs10672-007-9059-6/fulltext.html

Brown, S. P. (2007). Leaving the spiritual sphere: Religious expression in the public workplace. Journal of Church and State, 49(4), 665-682. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/230034477