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Beacool

(30,244 posts)
57. Most companies try to accommodate the needs of their employees.
Fri May 27, 2016, 12:18 PM
May 2016

I worked at a Fortune 100 some time ago and had 11 people under my supervision. On one occasion we hired a young Hispanic man. On his first day at work he told me he needed an area that was private where he could lay down a small rug and pray. He had never mentioned needing special accommodations when I interviewed him, so I was a bit taken back because finding a private space was hard. Private spaces were designated offices and none were vacant. Conference rooms were always in use. That only left file rooms, also in use, and storage areas. The only place we could find that he could lock was a storage room where electronics, such as extra computers, were kept. That room had a lock and no one would disturb him. When we moved to another location, the company provided a lactating room where mothers could reserve time and go to pump their milk (before that designated room women had to do it in a bathroom stall). He was allowed to use that room to pray.

As for this article, it seems to me that the company tried to accommodate their needs and they took advantage.

Sorry, but I would oppose this strenuously, as I would for any Christian or Jewish-based allowance Tarc May 2016 #1
Never thought I would 840high May 2016 #2
LOL, ditto! CharlotteVale May 2016 #4
Agree!!! n/t RKP5637 May 2016 #3
I agree. Nirgendwo May 2016 #6
^^^^ this katsy May 2016 #8
In my State, employers don't have to give you breaks at all. Nirgendwo May 2016 #5
Why do they need an extra 5 minutes? TexasBushwhacker May 2016 #7
They want an extra break, according to another article. Yo_Mama May 2016 #11
Sorry, but if they want to be stickler for rules TexasBushwhacker May 2016 #19
I know, but it appears they had gotten into the habit of taking two extra breaks. Yo_Mama May 2016 #21
Well you can bet no Christian or other religion would get a prayer break. zeemike May 2016 #9
Actually, I worked in a place that did allow Prayer breaks and Bible study groups on company time Midnight Writer May 2016 #13
There is no constitutional right to worship in the workplace. zeemike May 2016 #31
If it caused work stoppages, it is an undue hardship. That's pretty much established law. Yo_Mama May 2016 #10
Workers have to accommodate to the workplace not vice versa. Kablooie May 2016 #53
US law mandates reasonable accommodation. Yo_Mama May 2016 #59
The company knew these employees were Islamic when they hired them SusanLarson May 2016 #12
Thank you for a well thought out post philosslayer May 2016 #14
No, it's not discrimination. lbrtbell May 2016 #17
If you're working them enough that all 5 prayers would be on the clock, then there's a deeper issue Scootaloo May 2016 #18
When I was working at Dell, christx30 May 2016 #20
There's a huge difference... TipTok May 2016 #56
Yes there is a huge difference. christx30 May 2016 #58
Was thinking of smokers too catrose May 2016 #22
not in a manufacturing plant Travis_0004 May 2016 #28
Where I currently work, smoke breaks get you fired. Xithras May 2016 #43
Same here. My company was very tolerant toward smokers RebelOne May 2016 #46
I guess it depends catrose May 2016 #47
Actually, I worked in publishing RebelOne May 2016 #60
I have managed manufacturing plants bighart May 2016 #37
I can see that different catrose May 2016 #48
No smoking breaks in Wisconsin MRadtke May 2016 #50
Keep religion OUT of the workplace lbrtbell May 2016 #15
You don't get an employer-issued athame? Codeine May 2016 #38
What they need is a union. rug May 2016 #16
What they need is a reality check. Nihil May 2016 #32
Sounds like something happened that has always happened christx30 May 2016 #40
+1000 smirkymonkey May 2016 #45
They should just say they are smokers fbc May 2016 #23
I don't understand why Ilsa May 2016 #24
Either everyone gets extra time off or no one does. MowCowWhoHow III May 2016 #25
Then everybody gets the extra 5 minutes Duckhunter935 May 2016 #26
when they rise in AM, before work, lunch break, after work, & bedtime. That's 5 prayer times? Sunlei May 2016 #27
The problem arose during winter months csziggy May 2016 #30
The company accomodated them, and then they took The2ndWheel May 2016 #29
Replacement workers are on the way FrodosPet May 2016 #33
If you are at work then work you lazy bums- Play with your mythical sky creatures on your own time snooper2 May 2016 #34
I'm tired of accommodating bronze-age myths. Throd May 2016 #35
I wouldn't allow that in my workplace. Codeine May 2016 #36
Kind of my take on it. Hekate May 2016 #42
They are there to work, not pray. If it means so much to them smirkymonkey May 2016 #39
Are American employers required to grant Christian employees prayer breaks? Hekate May 2016 #41
Sabbath-keepers had the same problems in the '70s. Igel May 2016 #44
So make them clock out madville May 2016 #49
This works fine for people who work independently. .. JustABozoOnThisBus May 2016 #52
I would agree in giving them the breaks but they shouldn't have to pay them for the time ButterflyBlood May 2016 #51
Workers have to accomodate to jobs, not vice versa. Kablooie May 2016 #54
Talk to the voices in your head on your own time... TipTok May 2016 #55
Most companies try to accommodate the needs of their employees. Beacool May 2016 #57
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