Religious Acommodation

Under what circumstances should religious accommodation be made by employers? Explain.

Religion, in general, is a very sensitive and broad term to define. The belief and practice from one religion to other religions are different and, in some cases, are unusual and conflicting. This situation seems to be problematic for many institutions, especially for institutions that have employees from many different backgrounds. Each of the employees has different set of beliefs and practices. Do institution has to provide accommodations for its employees? Do institution has to submit to employee’s religious request? To answer those questions, first, we need to take a look at the law and regulations that govern the religious practice and discrimination in the US.

According to the book, there are two clauses from the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights that deal with religion; the establishment clause and the free exercise clause. These two clauses, however, only restricts Government. The establishment clause requires that Government remains neutral regarding religion matters. The free exercise clause is more abstract than the establishment clause. However, the essence of the clause instigates that a person is guaranteed a right to practice his/her religion without government interference. These two clauses clearly show that the practice of religion are valued and respected by the Government. Although the clauses strictly mentioned Government only, it does not mean that private institutions are not obligated to follow. I think private institutions should respect the practice of religion in all its form.

Apart from the Amendment that regulates religion practice, there is also an Act that prohibit employee to discriminate employees, especially based on religion. According to my research, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlaws major form of discrimination against racial, ethnicity, nationality, religious, and gender. In this particular Act, discriminations in employment on...