Religion In The Workplace (OR: WWJD?)

[Denim]

Since there's nowhere else to post this I thought I'd ask here. Do you feel religion should be a motivating factor for placement and how relevant is spirituality in the workplace?

I ask because about 60% of my interviews have been with institutions that identify as "Christian" and often this is expressed in their work. I'm not talking about churches or religious organisations, just regular companies that identify as "Christian".

So should a persons religious tendencies and beliefs be a motivating factor to potential employers and why is it companies are allowed to discriminate in this manner when they aren't allowed to discriminate on other criteria such as sexuality, race and gender?

To be fair I can understand that hiring someone based on the company profile and that of it's staff is relatively fair. An organisation identifying it's religious standing openly would function better if the staff were all similarly spiritually motivated. But should a company be allowed to identify itself in this way?

It's a pretty open topic, feel free to throw your two cents at me

[Keita Haruka]

As far as I know, no institution may base employment on religious affiliation. It's unconstitutional. No one may be discriminated against based on skin colour, sexual orientation, gender, spirituality or any other factor other than whether they have the qualifications and competence to do the job.

In practice...many companies still do ask, although strictly speaking they may not. You may refuse to answer but I'm afraid that if you do, they may turn you down, and since it's very hard to prove discrimination...it's really a moot point. Sad but true.

[Denim]

You're right, and to re-iterate your point, Keita, my first interview was with a Christian company that didn't even reply to let me know that I didn't get the job. When they asked in the interview what my religious views were I told them plainly that I was an atheist, much to the horror of the director who looked truly stumped.

In another interview I was faced with a born-again Christian woman who found it more important to recite the tale of her life rather than ask any questions of relevance to my work. When we reached the subject of religion it became a bone of contention where she attempted to convert me.

I know that Razor has experience with this. Otter maybe tell us what he feels?

[Razotter]

My first job out in the big world away from home and family was with a guy I'd went to school with. He was brought up jewish but his whole family have gone the whole "Born again" route. He gushed a lot about religion and whatnot while we were in preliminary interviews about whether we would work okay together, but I thought "Hey, each to their own." and figured it would be okay.

Well, two weeks into the job and I realised things were getting a bit too hot for me. He insisted on prayer meetings every morning before we began work, including discussions of any bible scripture he decided to read that morning.

So, with much personal soul searching, I pulled the plug.

There were a number of issues:
1. I went to school with this guy, and I knew him before his "Born Again" look, he made my life pretty hard at school, and he was no angel then. It made it all the more difficult to listen to him talk about how 'god' changed his life.
2. He was incredibly pushy about the faith thing. His ultimate goal was to have his whole company employing only dedicated christians, working to 'god's' plan.

For me, someone who associates far more readily with pagan leanings than mainstream christianity, it was very difficult to face every day. I don't think its ever fair to push your religion on others, and if that is occuring in the workplace, then I feel it is morally and ethically wrong.

But that's just one little otter's perspective.

[Keita Haruka]

It IS morally and ethically wrong. No doubt about that! And not just in the workplace but everywhere. Religion is something that is personal. It's between you and your god(s) and doesn't involve others..unless you're Catholic, in which case your Priest is also involved.

Why people or institutions feel that "only people of their own faith" is capable of any kind of morality and ethic is beyond me. I was raised Christian (I was a Jehovah's Witness) but these days I'm eclectic wiccan and I'm still the ame person I always was. Just a LOT happier now.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I have mixed feelings on this.

On one hand I don't like discrimination but it does happen (and affirmitive action is discrimination. The term they use for it in the UK is apparently positive discrimination). That said I also think a company should be able to hire whoever they want and if you only want to hire people of a certain religion then you should be able to do that. Anyway if a company doesn't want you and discriminates against you it would be stupid to try and make them hire you because you won't fit in.

[RankHusky]

I think it's stupid. >.> Unless the company itself is a religious organization specific for one religion... then religion can take a backseat. x3 During work for at least. What you believe is your lifestyle. Don't bring it into your work. Cause you are paid to work not get offended by someone else's religious view!

[Dracius]

As far as I know, no institution may base employment on religious affiliation. It's unconstitutional. No one may be discriminated against based on skin colour, sexual orientation, gender, spirituality or any other factor other than whether they have the qualifications and competence to do the job.

Lol... this made me laugh out quite a bit upon reading it. Why? Cause its completely abused back to front...

I got turned down for a website development job because I wasnt female...

[Sadrok]

I'd guess that if forums were to disallow participants of a certain skin color (e.g. The Forum for Black Journalists) then companies should be allowed to turn down people based on their religion. But wait, isn't that against the constitution of this country? The anti-Christian constitution by the anti-Christian government?
You see. I recently started at this new job and even though religion isn't at all covered in the recruitment process, it is a really big deal to the overall environment within the company. Thus the one superior of mine (there are many) is an overtly evangelical Christian who said in no less words that "anyone who disobeys the Word of God is anti-Christian" (specifically referring to the government with regards to legalizing abortions). When he said that, and the mostly positive reaction from so-called colleagues around me, I felt a chill, for I realized that I do not belong there. But what choice do I have? Where else could I go? What would the repercussions be if my philosophy on life were to become known? If I got fired, that would be illegal, but if the people around me began treating me badly because of it, that would merely be immoral, wouldn't it.

Just had to get that off my chest

[Keita Haruka]

As far as I know, no institution may base employment on religious affiliation. It's unconstitutional. No one may be discriminated against based on skin colour, sexual orientation, gender, spirituality or any other factor other than whether they have the qualifications and competence to do the job.

Lol... this made me laugh out quite a bit upon reading it. Why? Cause its completely abused back to front...

I got turned down for a website development job because I wasnt female...

Ah, but you see...it's not REALLY discrimination if your skin is black or you are female. You know, the injustices of the past and all.

These people need to realise that two wrongs don't make a right. You don't erase the injustice of the past by perpetrating that same injustice in the opposite direction.

[Dracius]

Yea, pretty much, Keita. People are idiots to give other people jobs that they simply arent capable of doing; this is already most of our government...

*RANT RANT RANT*

[Rakuen Growlithe]

These people need to realise that two wrongs don't make a right.

But three lefts do!

(Always wanted to actually be able to say that.)