What is the name of your state--->Colorado. Yesterday, my boss gave out an invitation to a religious lunch meeting in the conference room. I chose not to go and now my boss will not talk to me. After the meeting, he handed out an "Employment at will" form which he wants me to sign that states that I can be fired without reason. While I know that he cannot fire me for religious reasons, do I have to sign the form? I have been working for the company for 2 years now and all of a sudden he prompts this form on me. It may be coincidence that the form appeared on this day but I am not sure. Do I have to wait until he fires me for no reason to go after him for a civil rights violation? How difficult is it to pursue such a case? Also, can his religious meetings, which he will hold for the next 9 weeks, be considered harassment? Thanks in advanced!
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"Employment at will" and Religion
- Thread starter Samman
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BelizeBreeze
Senior Member
First off, have any other employees been given the form to sign and how many employees work there?
I AM ALWAYS LIABLE
Senior Member
Samman said:
My response:
What the hell kind of "Whacko" brings their religion to work? What kind of company is this, anyway? Does your boss own the company?
IAAL
BelizeBreeze
Senior Member
Pope Pius IX, Sun Yung Moon, Jim Jones, Oral Roberts (always loved that first name), Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye......yada...yada...yadaI AM ALWAYS LIABLE said:
Employees etc
There are approximately 16 employees. A few others did receive the form but many did not as they were given the form to sign when they hired on recently. Thus is my reasoning that this may be coincidence. Even so, the religious thing makes me worry that I will be singled out since I am not attending his meetings. He is the owner of the company (now). The fact that he pushes these meetings makes me feel uncomfortable. Is there anything I can do? Is there such a thing as reverse religious descrimination, as in pushing ones religion on another at work? Also, is he allowed to hold "voluntary" religious meetings at the work?
There are approximately 16 employees. A few others did receive the form but many did not as they were given the form to sign when they hired on recently. Thus is my reasoning that this may be coincidence. Even so, the religious thing makes me worry that I will be singled out since I am not attending his meetings. He is the owner of the company (now). The fact that he pushes these meetings makes me feel uncomfortable. Is there anything I can do? Is there such a thing as reverse religious descrimination, as in pushing ones religion on another at work? Also, is he allowed to hold "voluntary" religious meetings at the work?
I AM ALWAYS LIABLE
Senior Member
Samman said:
My response:
Instead of asking more questions, why don't you answer all the questions we ask, first.
IAAL
cbg
I'm a Northern Girl
In my opinion, at the present time you do not have any kind of legal case. That's not to say that you won't have one at some point in time IF your boss pursues this, but you do not at this point have enough to file any kind of suit. For one thing, you have suffered no damages. Being asked to sign an at-will agreement is not damages, particularly since you have always been an at-will employee anyway. You'd have NO chance of advancing such a case at this time.
Plus, you always WERE an employee at will. Many employers find it advisable to formally notify employees of that however. Since newly hired employees have been being asked to sign an at will acknowledgement, it appears they're now just catching up with the employees already on board. It certainly appears that your non-attendance at the meeting and being asked to sign the acknowledgement form is coincidental.
Also, can his religious meetings, which he will hold for the next 9 weeks, be considered harassment? Doubtful. While I don't think it's appropriate, your employer is free to share his religious views with everyone. A violation of the law would occur if you are treated less advantageously because you don't share his same religious beliefs. So far, that hasn't happened.
Also, can his religious meetings, which he will hold for the next 9 weeks, be considered harassment? Doubtful. While I don't think it's appropriate, your employer is free to share his religious views with everyone. A violation of the law would occur if you are treated less advantageously because you don't share his same religious beliefs. So far, that hasn't happened.
BelizeBreeze
Senior Member
Actually, while I was waiting for him to answer the questions I did a little digging. And Colorado has very specific rules regarding Religious meetings, opinions and the such in the workplace.Beth3 said:
While it is true that stating a religious opinion is not per se harrassement, if an employee gives notice that such discussions, meeting invitations or other religious occurrances at work are something he wishes not to be a part of and that he wishes them to stop and they do not, then he does have a case for workplace harrassement which would be filed on the state level with the EEOC.
This does not seem to be the case (as the others have told you) YET, however, by going here http://www.workplacefairness.org/religion.php you'll know what you need to do in the event that this escalates.
While it is true that stating a religious opinion is not per se harrassement, if an employee gives notice that such discussions, meeting invitations or other religious occurrances at work are something he wishes not to be a part of and that he wishes them to stop and they do not, then he does have a case for workplace harrassement which would be filed on the state level with the EEOC.
Interesting but are you saying that State law gives the employee the authority to require the employer to stop the meetings altogether or just his participation in them? According to the poster, attendance at the meetings does not appear to be mandatory.
Interesting but are you saying that State law gives the employee the authority to require the employer to stop the meetings altogether or just his participation in them? According to the poster, attendance at the meetings does not appear to be mandatory.
Thanks everyone
Thanks for the info! Oddly enough, the ABC nightly news had a story on tonight about religion and the workplace. It was mostly about Ford making reservations for a muslim guy but they did mention a case against... I forget now who it was but the two people that sued the company for pushing religion on them made 6 figures each off of it! I think the company was a shipping and freight company. Interesting, regardless. Again, thanks for everyone's help!
Thanks for the info! Oddly enough, the ABC nightly news had a story on tonight about religion and the workplace. It was mostly about Ford making reservations for a muslim guy but they did mention a case against... I forget now who it was but the two people that sued the company for pushing religion on them made 6 figures each off of it! I think the company was a shipping and freight company. Interesting, regardless. Again, thanks for everyone's help!
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