Religious Freedom in the Workplace

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Atheism is not considered a religion, but a religious belief. One could argue in the workplace that you are not breaking any boundaries. However, if you are forcing religion on someone then a line has been crossed. According to Brierton (1992) he states that, “the owners of Townley Engineering required all employees to attend weekly nondenominational devotional services. Employees were paid to attend and were required to sign a statement agreeing to follow all employee handbook policies of which the weekly services were listed. Louis Pelvaz an employee of Townley asked to be excused from the services because he was an atheist” (p.414).
I believe that his request should have been honored because even though the church is nondenominational it is still church. In that case it means he is still gaining some type of religious knowledge. I am sure that just like anyone he is strong in his beliefs. The employers took a Utilitarianism approach by making it mandatory for the employees to attend. This means that they were looking at making attending church a win-win situation for everyone. I think that having to attend church is something that should have been approached in the interview. If the employers approached it that way then they would have known that not all of their employees were religious, or into religion. Even if it was placed in the handbook everyone does not always read the handbooks.
Although, they were being compensated for attending, money cannot make up for going against your values and what you personally believe in. It also raises the question of what does attending church have to do with your work ethic? I do not believe that attending church makes a difference in your work ethic. An employee will either be a great...

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...). 'Our faith was also hijacked by those people': reclaiming Muslim identity in Canada in a post-9/11 Era. Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies. 37 (3), 425-441. 17. doi: 10.1080/1369183X.2011.526781
Brierton, T.D. (1992). Employers' New Age Training Programs Fail to Alter the Consciousness of the EEOC. Labor Law Journal. 43 (7), 411-420. 10. Retrieved from http://hr.cch.com/
Donohue, B. JUSTICE IN OKLAHOMA; SOLDIER’S RIGHTS RESTORED. Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.catholicleague.org/justice-in-oklahoma-soldiers-rights-restored/
Ettorre, B. (1996). Religion in the workplace: Implications for managers. Management Review. 85. (12). 15. 4. Retrieved from http://www.amanet.org/
Mosser, K. (2013). Ethics and social responsibility (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUSOC120.13.1/sections/sec1.6

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