Is it allowable for an employee of any given institution to pass religious materials to fellow employees or subject fellow employees to preaching while at work?
Update:It's not me. I work in a major medical facility and there is a girl in my office who is Johova's Witness... I do not fault anyone for their views or beliefs but I would rather not have this stuff handed to me or left on my desk daily. Have said so many times and doesn't seem to matter. Went to supervisor with it and still nothing. It's just gotten old and I dread coming in to work because I know I will be preached to every night. Was just wondering.....
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why would u do that. religion should never mix with business. leave your employees personal lives alone unless they come to you for help
An employer must make accommodation for an employee's religious beliefs, but generally that means such things as if their religion prohibits working on Saturday, the employer must accommodate that unless it puts an undo hardship on the employer. It does not mean they have to allow employees to preach and hand out material.
Any employer can prohibit employees from soliciting within the office (and that is what is being done). If your employer does not have a policy against it, perhaps you should bring it up to human resources and ask them to talk to the employee doing the soliciting.
Check with Human Resources or the US Dept. of Labor. Usually, there is nothing "illegal" about passing religious materials, but it is frowned upon to preach or engage in religious propaganda since not everyone might be from the same religion. You could talk to your employer directly about the reasons why this makes you uncomfortable or you could just walk out when he/she starts with the religious stuff. Also, take in consideration where do you work. I.e. in Puerto Rico is very common to receive chain emails with messages regarding God's blessings ( the majority in the island is Christian!) You could make the same argument in the Sunbelt states.
Unless you work for a religious institution, it is inappropriate to minister to or otherwise promote religious material to co-workers and in many cases to do so could result in your dismissal from your job. Since you have added to your inquiry -- it is incredibly rude for your co-worker to insist upon leaving these materials on your desk when you have made it clear that the material is not welcome. Like you, I do not fault anyone for their beliefs but I think the workplace is for work, not trying to turn hearts toward one religious denomination or another. I'm a Christian and I have much better, more insidious ways to impose my 'religion' on others -- I live the Golden Rule and try to set a good example by being kind and working hard and helping my co-workers. I don't gossip at work and I'm a good friend to others. That works so much better than passing around brochures.
I would certainly not allow it within our agency but if there is not a policy against it, then the employee has his right to do what he wants as well as others have the right to file 13 any religious information passed on to them. If it really bothers you, I would bring it up to your supervisor.
Tell her that you have reported it to your supervisor and will continue to report it every time she does it and plan to escalate it to the human resources department if the issue continues..
I'm religious myself, but, I believe that when it comes to a place like work where people are stuck there and can't shut the door that religion should be checked at the door..
I don't believe there is a law against it. However, I know that many employers have a "no solicitation" policy. This kind of activity would come under that policy. Even if there is no such policy, it seems that they should be restricted to doing that on their own time (i.e. lunch hour). To do so on company time would not be right.
Most employers don't care unless it interferes with work either lack of productivity or intimidating fellow employees. You could politely ask her to stop.
Hah, you might as well start talking about bringing in a union too. This would not be permitted. Free speech defense wouldn't fly here.
Inappropriate, yes, illegal, no. UNLESS you work in a government based office where there is separation of church and state.