Religion at Work: One Scenario

Religion at Work: One Scenario, Its Problems, and Solutions

Candy Rice

University of the Rockies

Abstract

The paper presents a hypothetical scenario involving Larry, who is deeply devoted to his religion and one day brings religious pamphlets to work, arranging them in a display on a break room table that already contains information about church activities and fundraisers. Several key trends related to religion in the workplace include the rise of religiosity, atheism, and the Muslim population around the world. Key problems exist with Larry’s scenario, including the inability to determine the content of his pamphlets and the equal opportunity for other employees with different—or no—religious beliefs to place their pamphlets on the break room table. The paper also presents an overview of the coverage afforded to employees and employers under the First Amendment to the Constitution and through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Key solutions to the hypothetical scenario include determining the content of Larry’s pamphlet, the nature of his work and the organization itself, plus the concept of providing equal opportunity for all or the removal of all religious information pieces from the organization.

Keywords: Religion at Work, Faith at Work, First Amendment, Title VII of Civil Rights Act

Religion at Work: One Scenario, Its Problems, and Solutions

The paper presents an overview of the hypothetical scenario presented in the course shell concerning Larry’s pamphlet display on the break room table in his workplace. An overview of religious trends relating to the workplace today noted a dichotomy between inclusion and “check your religion at the door” along with a rise in religiosity, atheism, and Muslim population in the western world. Key problems with Larry’s scenario include the nature of the content in his pamphlet and equal opportunity for employees of other religions, agnostics, and atheists to place similar...