How to Keep Religious Beliefs Out of the Workplace

Muslims must pray five times daily, which may require them to leave work to worship on a daily basis.

Considering the United States contains a multitude of religions, keeping religion out of the workplace is particularly difficult considering people's vehement attachment to spiritual beliefs. Recognizing this difficulty, many organizations, such as Taco Bell, Wal-Mart and Pizza Hut, have insisted on welcoming religious plurality by inviting priests, imams and other religious figures into their workplace (see Reference 3). However, other companies have taken the opposite approach in dealing with religious sensitivities by keeping religious views out of the workplace.

Instructions

1. Make sure that your workers understand your policy on religion. If you start disallowing religious dialogue and practice, then people may feel that you're discriminating against them. Explain to workers that you want to keep religion out of the workplace on the front end and then set forth other policies.

2. Set aside a place where religious people can go to worship. Many religions require that members pray during meals and throughout the day, and so you should have a place where individuals can go to do this privately (see Reference 1). This will minimize the presence of religion in the workplace and still allow these individuals to practice freely. You may want to have a closet or closed office where individuals can go.

3. Eliminate religious icons or imagery in public areas of the office. It is hypocritical to disallow religion in the workplace and have posters of religious figures or places. You should be fair to all religions by eliminating objects that may be perceived as religious.

4. Accommodate individuals with religious needs in a private way. Some people may need to request certain days off for religious holidays, and you should have them come to you to ask for time off (see Reference 2). When they ask you privately, they don't cause a scene and bring up religious ideas in front of all of those in the workplace. You may require that they take personal days off for religious holidays.

5. Keep the office professional. Religious dialogue and arguments occur when individuals express their personal feelings in a public way. Make sure that people stay on task and do not assert their own emotions in religious issues. This will keep the office as a secular place.

Tips & Warnings

• Federal law requires that you provide religious accommodations for employees only if you have more than 15 workers (see Reference 2).

References

• AmericanBar.org: Religion and the U.S. Workplace
• Anti-Defamation League: Religious Accomodation in the Workplace
• Businessweek.com: Religion in the Workplace