Religion at the work place

[jessieyka]

I live in Philadelphia. My best friend works for a religious based out patient physicians office. She knew this before she applied, in the interview they asked her what her favorite bible verse was and who her pastor was. They also asked about her personal life (husband, kids), upon employment she was told that "devotionals" are mandatory four days a week. Spiritual job retreats (not job improvement related) was mandatory as well as prayer groups/sessions, where they are to share personal information. Employees have been denied job advancement not because they lack the skills !but because they were in "sin" (child out of wedlock). Another employee was told that she needed to share her experience because if she didn't she would be judged the employees so she had to sit there in front of 100 co-workers and "testify" to her being pregnant and un-married. She was humiliated, and shocked that they would ask her to do such a thing. She was later fired for showing up to devotional late. (devotional is paid). If you refuse to go they sit you down and "talk" to you, and pressured as a "Christian" to the right thing. Other workers are over worked, under staffed, and under paid. One employee comes in two hours early(unpaid) just to start her work so she doesn't fall behind. Employees are denied FMLA, when children are hospitalized and parents are dying of cancer. The HR dept won't talk directly to them, he sends them back to their manger to tell them the problem and the manager never get back to the employees. The "Committee or Board" is made up of all friends and family that go to the same church, and they feel they have no one to turn to.

 

[commentator]

While this is not your workplace and you may not have the details just right, there are two things mentioned that express a serious lack of understanding of the labor laws in this country. To begin with, there aren't many.

Quote:"One employee comes in two hours early(unpaid) just to start her work so she doesn't fall behind. Employees are denied FMLA, when children are hospitalized and parents are dying of cancer."

Anyone who voluntarily works unpaid overtime is being really dumb! Employees are required by federal law to pay employees for hours worked. She is more likely to be fired for working unsolicited overtime than for falling behind on her work, because if she files a complaint with wage and hour for these two or three hours early that she comes in (even though she states that she wants it to be unpaid) then the company would have to her pay for it. If she can't do her work during the hours she is being paid for, then duh, uh, this dumber than dirt employee needs to find another job, right now! Else do only what she can and let the employer deal with it when she falls behind. Being fired is not nearly as bad as being enslaved to work without pay or for being fired for working without pay. She is allowing herself to be taken advantage of, stupidly, because of her fear of not having the employer "love her."

Second issue. If the person has been with the company at least a year, and there are more than fifty employees, and has a major qualifying health issue, they are entitled to FMLA. The company cannot arbitrarily decide whether or not to give it to them, IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA. If not, then it doesn't matter even if the employees themselves are dying of cancer, the company is not required to give them FMLA.

Your friend should look for another job, pronto. Because actually, very little that you describe here is close to a hostile working environment related to religion. The parameters of the religious affiliation of the office were spelled out when the person came to work. Being "overworked, understaffed and underpaid" is something that she controls, because she has the right to quit her job and find a better one at any time. She can't accept it and then complain that because she's not religious enough she isn't treated fairly. She knew what she was going to be paid when she accepted the job, right? It's at least minimum wage, when she's not working unpaid overtime, isn't it?

 

[Beth3]

My best friend works for a religious based out patient physicians office.

Is this doctor's office part of a religious owned or affiliated medical group? (i.e. part of the "St. Mary's Hospital run by the Sisters of the Holy Rosary" group) Or is the doctor simply imposing his personal religious beliefs and practices on everyone?

The answer is important.

 

[HomeGuru]

My best friend works for a religious based out patient physicians office.

Is this doctor's office part of a religious owned or affiliated medical group? (i.e. part of the "St. Mary's Hospital run by the Sisters of the Holy Rosary" group) Or is the doctor simply imposing his personal religious beliefs and practices on everyone?

The answer is important.

**A: yes, very important.

 

[eerelations]

**A: yes, very important.

We can't really provide any more advice/information without the answer.

 

[jessieyka]

Federally funded. Employers imposing religion??

XXX Health Center began under the leadership of Dr. CK in the mid-1980s. Dr. K, working with a number of concerned health professionals from several urban Philadelphia churches, recognized that the residents of North Philadelphia's Latino community faced a significant lack of access to affordable primary health care services. They discerned the need for a holistic, high quality, and culturally-sensitive health center to serve this primarily Spanish-speaking community. E opened its doors in June 1989 in North Philadelphia.

Over time, word spread that Esperanza offered affordable, bilingual primary care. During the 1990s, it moved to a new location in the city.

 

[eerelations]

OP answered our question and then the answer disappeared? Where'd it go? We need this information to provide OP with accurate information!

 

[anteater]

OP answered our question and then the answer disappeared? Where'd it go? We need this information to provide OP with accurate information!

It appeared to be a rather lengthy copy and paste from the facility's website. The gist probably is:

Compelled by the love of God in Christ Jesus, in cooperation with the Church and others, ***** is a multi-cultural ministry providing holistic healthcare to the Latino and underserved communities of *****.

 

[eerelations]

Well it tells us nothing we need to know. How weird. What about the doctor's practice?

 

[Beth3]

That doesn't answer my question. In cooperation with the church? A multi-cultural ministry?

OP, we absolutely need to know whether this medical practice is truly affiliated with a church or whether what's taking place merely reflects the head doctor's personal religious beliefs.

 

[jessieyka]

XXX Health Center is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation, and all donations to support Esperanza's ministry are tax-deductible. Your generous contribution will help support many vital services offered to patients, including adult and pediatric primary care, behavioral health services, dental care, prenatal care, nutrition counseling, health education and outreach, social services, HIV care, and spiritual and pastoral care.
I don't know if this helps

 

[jessieyka]

There are three to four offices and about five doctors. It's not just one doctor with one private practice. I believe that this church affiliation to this Health Center is by donation, and volunteer. At least thats what is shows according to the annual fund posted online

 

[ecmst12]

How many employees within 75 miles of her location?

 

[jessieyka]

There are 120 to 130 employees including 18 clinicians.

 

[ecmst12]

Ok, then they'd be subject to FMLA for employees who had been there for at least a year and worked at least 1250 hrs in the past 12 months. Any employee who was denied FMLA (fired when they were out for a qualifying reason for 12 weeks or less) could file a complaint with the US DOL.