Many employees wish that their bosses would drop dead, but when it actually happens, is it OK to celebrate in the workplace? If you ascribe the death to an act of God, is your speech protected under your freedom to practice religion?
We read in Suits in the Workplace about just such a case. When the supervisor of a Florida hospital worker suffered a stroke during a routine hernia operation and subsequently died, the employee began telling her coworkers that the stroke was a sign of God’s “wrath” and an indication of Divine judgment. The employee told coworkers that God’s vengeance was served and “victory is mine.” These statements, needless to say, caused a major disruption. Some employees were so upset, they were unable to perform their jobs. The employee was subsequently fired for her conduct. So, naturally, she sued the hospital for religious discrimination under Title VII.
The (Less-Than-Divine) Judgment
The district court granted summary judgment for the employer, finding that there was no pretext in the employer’s stated basis for termination, namely that the plaintiff was fired for openly celebrating the death of a coworker whom she despised. The fact that there was a religious element to the plaintiff’s celebrations did not protect them or her. The court specifically noted it was not the religious component of plaintiff’s comments that prompted the termination, but rather the inappropriate celebration of the supervisor’s demise. The article did not indicate whether the plaintiff called down thunderbolts on the judge’s head.
Accommodating Religious Belief
Setting aside the above employee’s belief in a deity who functions like Marlon Brando in The Godfather, employers do have to make some accommodations for religious beliefs. Attorney Allan W. Brown from Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott provides the following summary:
: Meet (more than once) with the employee to seek a resolution (and take notes!)
: Accommodate the employee’s observance of religious holidays, whenever possible
: Attempt to find a volunteer to swap shifts with an employee
: Attempt to transfer the employee to another job in the company, if necessary.
Spirituality and Work
Back in 1999, Business Week published an interesting article by Michelle Conlin on spiritual revivals based in the workplace. It’s still a timely summary of the way spirituality in its many forms can impact the workplace. Conlin points out that people are working more and more hours, so the workplace becomes host to activities that used to take place somewhere else.
Most companies and executives are careful to stick to a cross-denominational, hybrid message that’s often referred to as secular spirituality. It focuses on the pluralistic, moral messages common to all the great religions, such as plugging into something larger than yourself, respecting the interconnectedness of all actions and things, and practicing the Golden Rule. But it also puts a premium on free expression and eschews cramming beliefs down other people’s throats.
Religious belief can be a tricky area for management. It’s one thing to tolerate different beliefs. It’s quite another when those beliefs infringe on other employees and disrupt the flow of work. Even if you believe your deity to be a vengeful personal protector, it’s best to keep this comforting thought to yourself.