Discrimination or sexual harrasment at work?

Question

I was taking this e-learning thingy at work and I there were questions somewhat as follows:

1. If an employee wears a cross on a neck, it should be:
a. it's okay to wear a cross to work
b. it's not okay to wear a cross to work

2. If an Islamic woman is wearing a religious clothing to work around her head, she should:
a. take if off
b. keep it on due to her religious regulations

I answered questions number one as "a" and it said 'wrong, a riliseous symbol such as a christian cross may offend someone at work or a customer alike",

so I answered to the second question "a", sinse religious symbolism is not allowed at work, and it said "wrong, racial descrimination is not allowed at work place, therefore an islamic woman can have her head covered at work in avoidance of descrimination towards her religious beliefs".

I was shocked. As far as I know, and what the History tells, America is known to be a Christian country. Also, would you ever see someone wear cross in Iraq?

Fuzzy Tale, where in the world did you see a Christian church in Iraq? Even if there are, they are persecuted like crazy. By the way, you missed the point of my post, so dont bother...

Tanjo22, I don't know what kind of historical fathers you are thinking of who brought up America, but I know that most of them were Christians and believed in one true God. They even based their consitution in the trust in God! If you deny God, doesn't mean our fathers did.

Demopublication, I work at a retail store, and if you don't, than how would you konw what kind of quizes we take. Surprise, suprise, I was surprised as well. But I'm not lying. DO NOT try to make a liar off of me just because the question is so straight forward! It was there and I am not making it up. As far as you not seeing an islamic woman wearing her thingy around her head at work, there is one in Wal-Mart right where I live and another at US Bank. You need to get our more often or something... but the point of my post was that other American girls are not allowed to wear even a freaking scarf around their necks at work, not to mention a whole head...

Answer 1

Haven't you noticed? Christians and Christianity are now suffering reverse-discrimination.
In my old job everyone was told to start saying "Happy Holidays" so as not to offend any one particular faith. Ridiculous! I should be able to greet people in my own way as they should be able to greet me in theirs. It's not like we're cussing. Same with dress code. One religion should not be given preferential treatment over another - but unfortunately that's how it is nowadays, Christians have to give up all outward signs of faith to be politically correct in the workplace or risk getting written up (or fired), but other faiths can wear their religious articles and no one dares say anything.
I don't see the ACLU standing up for our rights. Where are they???
It's considered ok to teach Darwin's THEORY of Evolution as fact, and teach about other faiths or lifestyles in public school, but not ok to teach about what Christianity is - as a theory or fact. (Actually legally it is OK in most states to cover a variety of religions, even Christianity, but most teachers think it's not because that's what the media hypes up.)
OK - I'm getting down off my soapbox now.
About Question #2 - If a Christian is in Iraq, I hope their faith is strong and yes they should wear a cross if they want to.

Answer 2

Dear Nick Kh,

i agree with you that in principal the scenairo you are describing is not consistent - and could be a form of discrimination. i think regardless of a person's religions or personal beliefs here. If a cross is "offensive" than why couldn't it be covered-- i know many people who wear crosses (and a lot of them are not even very serious about their faith).

While a Christian should not freak out if they aren't allowed to wear a cross (because not all Christians were a cross- and it is only a symbol) as opposed to an Islamic woman's shaw-- it just seems to be a very "targeted" rule.

In answering your question Yes it seems discriminatory. But you have to pick and choose your battles (not sure if you are a Christian- but being a Christian is about a relationship with Jesus- and a cross around your neck doesn't make your relationship stronger- and you have to decide whether its worth it to argue with your employers.

My suggestion is to take it up with H.R. (off the record) and also to pray and see if it's a battle worth pursuing. This policy should also be in writing- so would they start sending people home if they wear a cross to work (ie: some places have policies about the dress code: no shorts, etc.) -- are they that explicit in their corporate policies about the cross???

Anyhow just stuff to consider. Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 3

Tanjo 22 is right , America is not a Christian country .It may have a lot of Christians in it but it is not a Christian country.
Think about it. We all agree that some of our Founding Fathers were good devout Christian men and yet for some reason when they had the opportunity to make this a legal Christian country [office holders must swear allegiance to Christ & the President is the keeper of the faith-] they said "No we will not allow that to happen on these shores"
Why did they pass up such a golden opportunity ? What did they know that some of us seem to have forgotten ?
They knew that when that when the Church had the legal and physical powers of the State to enforce it's version of morality that individual freedom would suffer mightily as a result.
Don't you think that a Massachusetts man like John Adams understood what a bunch of repressive bastards the Puritans really were? He cleary understood who they were and he didn't want to see their version of governance happen in America ever again.

Answer 4

I'm a Christian. I wear a cross around my neck--under my shirt. It is nobody's business what I am.

There is nothing wrong with wearing a cross to work--even if it shows. It would be discriminatory of an employer not to allow it. It would be discriminatory of an employer not to allow a Sikh man to wear a turban, or a Muslim woman her headress.

On the other hand, wearing a T-shirt that says "accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, or you will burn in Hell forever" is not something I would expect any employer to put up with. It's all a question of degree, of common sense (which isn't very common), of decency, and of respect for other people and their beliefs.

I could give other examples about Jews and Muslims at work, but I won't.

As you might have gathered from my spelling of "Saviour" I'm Canadian. Our labour (here I go again) laws state, as follows:

"An employer can make dress regulations as they pertain only to health and safety, or to legitimate business image."

Telling people not to wear a cross, or Islamic headress, has got nothing to do with allowable grounds for an employer to make a rule. A boss can say "no rings or jewellry" if people are working around machinery or something like that, but that's it.

America is not a Christian country. It is a modern, pluralistic, multi-faith democracy. I know that some Christians don't like that, but too bad.

There is a lot of confusion, on the other hand, about the separation of church and state. The US constitution says something to the effect that "the State shall not establish an official religion, nor interfere with the free expression of any religion." It was meant to prevent American Protestants from picking on Catholics, vice versa, and so on.

That means that Christians who want the US to be an Christian country will have to either violate the Consititution, or change it.

There is nothing from preventing any politician--including George Bush-- from saying that he is a Christian, or saying prayers, or celebrating Christmas and Easter, or anything else he wants to do.

There are Christians in Iraq, by the way--including Tarik Aziz--Hussein's foreign minister. Mind you, how any Christian could work for a butcher like Saddam Hussein is beyond me.

I hope this helps. If you disagree with me, at least my comments might be food for thought.

Answer 5

the respond is straight forward, the prepare is extremely tense. some human beings will constantly decide for to be/experience 'greater advantageous'. In essence all we ought to do is to 2 issues: one million) become greater self holding so as that we don't create super international huge income gaps (globally) via giving power and administration to great companies and governments. How can we justify paying under a $ an afternoon to a pair human beings and £one million,000,000 earnings to a footballer interior the West? Self sufficiency is on many levels, very own, community, nationally, globally. truly it ability appearing in techniques wherein administration and power are saved interior the locality/community and not giving administration and power to others alongside with worldwide companies. 2) for each individual to no longer settle for discrimination or discriminating practices of somebody in spite of ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, ability, faith or united states wherein they stay. at last each little thing else develops, alongside with regulations, regulations and education.

Answer 6

Islam isn't a race, it's a religion. The test is biased, and I'd sue!

Kidding!

I can see the difference between doing something merely to express your faith and something that is commanded by your faith. For instance, there would be a difference between a cross necklace worn on a daily basis and a dirty spot on your forehead on Ash Wednesday.

I think I'm gonna find out who the Atheists are at my work, and then say that they offend my by wearing no religious symbols... just to see if HR takes me seriously.

Answer 7

In either case, it's an expression of personal faith, and protected in the US under the First Amendment's free exercise clause. The only exemption would be if the religious garment interfered with the worker's ability to perform his or her job. For example, a cop can't wear a burka, because it would interfere with aiming a gun.

And, as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Treaty of Tripoli, the US has never been a Christian country. And, you do see people wearing crosses in Iraq, in fact, there are Christian churches there.

Answer 8

Excuse me, but exactly what kind of job do you work at?I find it hard to believe that there would be any such questions asked on a work related quiz.And I equally find it hard to believe that an employer would be allowed under any law to discriminate against someone based on religion.I have been to banks, grocery stores, restaurants, malls, government buildings, and virtually every facet of American life and have personally seen numerous people wearing Christian symbols around their necks.I have yet to see a Muslim woman wearing her garb at McDonald's.

Answer 9

I find the reasons given to both questions similar and therefore eerie. You wonder why people get tattoos now adays. Heh, the government can't rip it off my skin....! and as for the woman's garb, I think that also has to take into account the workplace conditions. A long sleeve can get caught in equipment...!

Answer 10

haha.. thats sad. i would've been so confused. i think theyre both basically the same thing. you should probably ask about that. its weird. i thought usually they wouldnt say anything to you if its your religious beliefs. like for example where i work there are uniforms.. which include wearing pants. because of religious reasons... i only wear skirts. its a belief i have. i told them about that.. and they had no problem with it! and one of my co-workers wears a cross... so yea.. thats weird.