This is a letter that can be used when requesting accommodation for Sabbaths off by those who work in the United States of America and her territories. This should not be used as the first request. It is in your best interest to maintain cordial relations with your employer and in no wise appear eager to sue. However, if your request is denied or your employment terminated, this letter can be used to explain your protections under US law.
Under Title VII, U.S.C. 42, your employer:
It is your obligation to clearly explain your need and provide up to a year’s listing of dates you require off. In order to terminate you, the burden rests on your employer to demonstrate a negative financial impact on the business should your request be granted.
This letter is posted in a Word document. You will need to fill in certain information that is in red in the document. Change the color back to black and personalize with your individual information. If your letter needs to go to multiple individuals, add their names and titles in the heading. Keep a copy for yourself and sign each letter in blue ink. Rather than hand deliver, send each letter by certified mail with a return receipt requested.|
Any Address |
Employer name, title
Any Street Address
Anytown, State ZIP
RE: Request for work accommodation for religious beliefs
Dear Mr./Ms. (Employer’s Name):
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, U.S.C. 42, employers are required to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of an employee unless doing so would create undue hardship upon the employer. Under this law, I am not required to justify or prove the validity of my sincere religious belief nor must I present a letter from a clergyman in support of my belief. The law’s intention provides protection and accommodation for a broad spectrum of religious practices and beliefs. This includes protection for individual religious beliefs that are not based upon the recognized teachings of any specific organization or religion. The fact that I am not a member of a government-recognized organization does not exclude me from protection under this law.
As previously explained, my family and I worship on the seventh-day Sabbath of the ancient luni-solar calendar, rather than the modern Gregorian calendar in common use in Western societies. This is a sincerely held religious belief and, as such, is clearly protected under Title VII, U.S.C. 42.
While an employer is not required to provide accommodation if there is undue hardship involved, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has clear rulings on precisely what constitutes “undue hardship.” In order to demonstrate undue hardship, Company Name must prove that accommodating my need for revised work scheduling would require more than ordinary administrative costs, it would diminish the efficiency of other jobs, impair workplace safety, infringe on other employee’s rights or benefits or cause coworkers to carry my share of potentially hazardous or burdensome work. In order to refuse to accommodate my religious belief, Company Name would need to demonstrate the negative financial impact such accommodation would have on the business.
Accommodating my need for a Sabbath that changes, month to month, through the weekly cycle of the Gregorian calendar would not cause such undue hardship. I can provide, a year in advance, a list of which dates I am unavailable to work. Furthermore, workers on the Gregorian calendar average 21.3 work days each month. On a luni-solar calendar, I can work 24 days each month. I am also willing and able to work weekends and common holidays that others prefer to have off thus contributing added value to my work availability. It is my belief that accommodating my religious beliefs does not constitute an undue hardship for Company Name since there is no demonstrable administrative expense and it does not have an actual negative monetary impact on the business.
I have greatly enjoyed my work with Company Name and I wish to continue to be a valuable employee as I believe I have much to offer the business and the public we serve.
Sincerely,
Sign in blue ink
Your Name
cc: Company
Headquarters (Fill in name of company if applicable)