Religious Harassment

Name: Religious Harassment
Author: KnowledgeCity

A workforce that values diversity can protect religious freedoms by educating employees about different faiths and beliefs. This module explores the meaning of…

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(gentle music) Let's consider what might happen if religious diversity is not protected. Religious harassment is a real issue that can have a major impact on your employees and colleagues. You will learn about what religious harassment is, how to balance the religious freedoms of all employees, and how to recognize religious intolerance. Just how common is religious harassment? Harassment based on religion takes place all around the world. The Pew Research Center found that harassment against religious groups occurred in 187 of the 198 countries it studied. Religious harassment involves harassing an individual because of their religious beliefs or practices. This is not limited to traditional organized religions. Harassing someone because of any sincerely held religious belief, even if not part of a traditional religion, can be considered religious harassment. Simple teasing, off-hand comments, and isolated incidents that aren't very serious do not generally constitute harassment. If these actions become frequent or severe and create a hostile or offensive work environment, the situation has escalated to the point where there is harassment. Adverse employment decisions based on religion also constitute religious harassment. These include demotion, firing, and loss of pay. Let's look at some specific forms of religious harassment. Disparate treatment, this involves an employer treating employees and applicants differently due to their religious beliefs and practices. This can be seen in holding employees of different faiths different workplace standards up to and including different standards for hiring, firing, and pay. (air whooshing) Refusing accommodations. Some governments require employers to provide accommodations for an employee's sincerely held religious practices and beliefs. These accommodations can apply to things like schedule changes and dress or grooming practices. Refusing accommodations can be seen as discrimination, especially if the accommodation policy is not applied equally across all faiths. However, if the accommodation would put an undue hardship on the employer, the employer can refuse it. Retaliation. When religion is protected in the workplace, employers can not retaliate against an employee for requesting a religious accommodation or for reporting religious harassment. This includes actions such as firing, demotion, decreased pay or hours, and other adverse employment actions. Religious conditions of employment. Employers should not dictate their employees' religious practices as a condition of employment. Doing so is a form of religious harassment. This includes forcing an employee to participate in a religious activity as a condition of employment, as well as forbidding an employee from participating in a religious activity as a condition of employment. Workplace segregation based on religion. Workplaces should not be segregated based on the religions of the employees. An example of a workplace segregation practice could be assigning an employee to work in the back room where they won't interact with customers because of feared or actual reactions from customers.

Essential Provider : KnowledgeCity 3 Lessons · 7m in English, Spanish

Course Description

A workforce that values diversity can protect religious freedoms by educating employees about different faiths and beliefs. This module explores the meaning of religious diversity in the workplace, and discusses how to promote respect and awareness of individual religious affiliations.

What You'll Learn

Embrace and protect religious diversity in the workplace
Respect the religious freedoms of employees
Promote respect and awareness of individual religious affiliations
Recognize and address proselytizing in the workplace
Identify and prevent religious intolerance among employees

Key Takeaways

A workforce that values diversity can protect religious freedoms by educating employees about different faiths and beliefs.
This module explores the meaning of religious diversity in the workplace.
The course discusses how to promote respect and awareness of individual religious affiliations.
The religious freedoms of employees can be respected in the workplace.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this Religious Harassment course cover?

It explores the meaning of religious diversity in the workplace and discusses how to promote respect and awareness of individual religious affiliations, including the topics of religious harassment, proselytizing, and religious intolerance.

What will I learn from this module?

You will learn how to embrace and protect religious diversity in the workplace and understand how the religious freedoms of employees can be respected.

What topics are included in the lessons?

The lessons cover Religious Harassment, Proselytizing, and Religious Intolerance.

What skills does this course help build?

It supports skills in handling confrontation, addressing a hostile work environment, workplace relationships, and workplace violence prevention and response.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®)

Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.25

Certification Program Categories:

Leadership & NavigationBusiness AcumenConsultationGlobal MindsetEthical PracticeRelationship ManagementAnalytical AptitudeCommunicationDiversity, Equity & Inclusion

KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).