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- QUESTION
Diversity Training Manual: Part IV (3-4 pages)
As the new manager of human resources, you are preparing the next section of the diversity training manual, which focuses on making supervisors more aware and sensitive to religious discrimination issues.
This section of the training manual should include the following information:
Give an explanation of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII 1964 legislation, dealing specifically with the meaning of reasonable accommodation for religious practices.
Click here to read the Civil Rights, Title VII 1964 legislation.
For each of the 3 religious groups listed, describe and explain the following:
Include at least 2 religious practices that could easily be accommodated by management without any hardship for the company.
Include at least 2 practices that would be difficult to accommodate.
The 3 religious groups you will be examining are as follows:Orthodox Jewish
Hindu
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
ReferenceCivil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e (1964). Retrieved from http://finduslaw.com/civil-rights-act-1964-cra-title-vii-equal-employment-opportunities-42-us-code-chapter-21
| Subject | Religion | Pages | 6 | Style | APA |
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Answer
DIVERSITY TRAINING MANUAL
Religious Discrimination
This section of the Diversity Training Manual seeks to sensitize and as such guide the fraternity of this organization on issues revolving around religious discrimination. It is pegged on and informed by, but not limited to, the Civil Rights Act, Title VII 1964. The piece of legislation bans any form of employment discrimination on grounds of color, sex, religion, race, and national origin (United States, 2002).
Pursuant to this legislation, the HR department and the organization at large appreciate and respect the diversity of its employees and prospective employees. Tolerance of other people’s religion is part and parcel of organizational culture, and all members of staff are expected to uphold religious tolerance. As per the Act, the organization is keen on accommodating people of various religious backgrounds and subscriptions. ‘Religion’ to be accommodated shall include
“all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employees or prospective employee’s religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer’s business” (Celada, & Library of Congress, 1965).
This organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer as may be informed by the Act under focus and others in the Constitution that seek to promote equality, especially in employment circles. Therefore, all supervisors and other members of the management team as well as regular employees are expected to conduct themselves and treat each other in a manner that demonstrates respect for each other’s religion, however different it may be. In that regard, there should be no discrimination in various organizational processes like recruitment, promotion, and reward/punishment just to mention but a few. Anyone who contravenes the provisions of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII 1964 risks disciplinary consequences and legal liability for his or her actions and/or omissions.
Imperatively, the organization may not accommodate all religious practices, especially if they interfere with its business. If it can be demonstrated that a given practice hinders the normal running of the organization and its business then such a practice shall not be accommodated. The following examples of religious groups are used to demonstrate some of the religious practices that can or cannot be accommodated.
It should be noted that the rationale behind accepting or not accepting a certain practice is largely informed by the practice’s potential to interfere with the organization’s business.
Orthodox Jews:
|
Practice |
Description |
Comments |
|
Men keeping beards
|
Men keep beards as a sign of religious observance |
May not be acceptable where there is need to maintain/project professional image |
|
Participating in Seder |
Seder is a communal meal commemorating the start of the Passover holiday. (Kugel, 1990). |
Easily acceptable |
|
Observing Yom Kippur |
Also referred to as Day of Atonement is a day of fasting for the Orthodox Jews |
Easily acceptable |
|
Women driving ban |
The Belz community, an Orthodox Jewish sect, prohibits women from driving |
Unacceptable as need may arise for the organization to assign driving duties to a lady (of the same background) |
Hindu:
|
Practice |
Description |
Comment |
|
Namaste greeting |
Gesture of bringing together hand palms before the heart and slightly bowing one’s head |
Easily acceptable |
|
Puja/Pooja |
Ritual performed every morning after bathing and dressing but before eating or drinking |
Easily acceptable |
|
Hatha Yoga |
Practice of meditative movement that is part of Hindu traditions (Ganeri, 2005). |
Easily acceptable if done away from work but unacceptable at work (during working hours) |
|
Kundalini Yoga |
Tantric form of yoga that focuses on awakening the kundalini (latent psychic energy at base of spine) (Ganeri, 2005). |
Easily acceptable if done away from work/ unacceptable at work (during working hours) |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
|
Practice |
Description |
Comment |
|
Law of Chastity |
Members have to live in accordance with this law which prohibits sexual relations between unmarried individuals |
Easily acceptable |
|
Endowment ceremony |
Ceremony where members take an oath to donate all they have to the Lord if required to do |
Easily acceptable |
|
Daily prayer |
Members pray several times a day |
Easily acceptable but not acceptable if it interferes with work |
|
Weekly three hour ‘callings’ and meetings besides church assignments |
Members have to attend weekly three-hour meetings, they are also assigned special assignments by the church |
Unacceptable if they interfere with work |
The tables above give insight into the kind of practices that are easily acceptable or not acceptable within this organization. In as much there is organizational commitment towards the provisions of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII 1964 and the law in general nobody should take advantage to the effect of engaging in religious practices that may affect personal performance, or that of others. This Diversity Training Manual seeks to prevent employment discrimination based on religion, but organizational operations should not stall at the expense of such religious accommodation.
References
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Celada, R. J., & Library of Congress. (1965). Equal employment opportunity: Legislative history and analysis of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Washington, D.C. ; Library of Congress. Ganeri, A. (2005). Hindu. Mankato, Minn: Sea-to-Sea Publications. Kugel, J. (1990). On being a Jew: A brief presentation of Jewish practices and belief. New York, N.Y: HarperSanFrancisco. United States. (2002). Religious discrimination: Employment discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Washington, D.C ; United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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