Handle a Request for a Religious Accommodation
When to use this flowchart
Use the Handle a Request for a Religious Accommodation flowchart to understand how to handle a request for a religious accommodation.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) prohibits an employer from treating an employee or applicant unfavorably based on the individual's religious beliefs, and requires an employer to reasonably accommodate an individual's sincerely held religious beliefs, if such an accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the employer.
This flowchart walks an employer through the major steps in connection with an individual's request for a workplace accommodation that may be religious in nature, to help it determine whether or not:
- An accommodation is required;
- To grant the request, even if not required.
Federal, state and municipal laws may differ so an employer should follow the steps in the flowchart carefully and consult with counsel when appropriate.
Key Steps
- Employer receives a request for an accommodation that may be religious in nature.
- Are the individual's beliefs sincerely held?
- Engage in and document the interactive process.
- Does an accommodation create an undue hardship for the employer?