The "reasonable accommodation standard" is also used in order to allow employees religiousfreedom at work. Imagine that your company has recently decided to implement a security system that requires employees to use a finger print to sign into the building and other restricted areas. As the HR Business Partner for the Corporate Headquarters Offices, you are responsible for assisting with the implementation of this new system.
George Jessup is an accounting manager and a fundamentalist Christian who interprets this new system as offensive to his religion. In the Book of Revelations, believers are told not to allow anyone to subject them being "marked by the Beast." He is asking for an accommodation to be exempted from having his finger print recorded. Unfortunately, he rode in the elevator with your boss this morning. George made his case for a reasonable accommodation; your boss laughed, saying it was a "preposterous request." Later in the afternoon, Desiree, an employee who lost two fingers in an accident when she was a child, asked for an exemption. Not knowing what happened in the elevator this morning, the employee's immediate manager told her he was sure it would be fine to exempt her from the requirement. George and Desiree carpool together and shared their very different experiences. George left a message on the President's voice mail saying that he would be late tomorrow morning because he was going to the EEOC on the way to work. The President calls you at home about 9:00 pm and asks you to "fix this mess" and to meet him at 8:00 with your ideas.
1. What are the legal issues?
2. The HR issues?
3. Your recommendations to fix the situation?