Employee Religious Accommodation Procedure

Owner: Krista Mazzuca
Area: Office of Human Resources
Date: September 2026

Purpose

A simple, centralized process for responding promptly and consistently when a faculty or staff member's sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance conflicts with a work place requirement.

Procedure

1. Scope

This procedure applies to RIC faculty and staff who request a change to a workplace requirement because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. Requests from job applicants will be coordinated by Human Resources with the hiring department. Student academic accommodation requests are handled under the applicable student process.

2. Requesting an accommodation

An employee requesting a religious accommodation must complete and submit the Religious Accommodation Request Form to Human Resources.

An employee may initially contact Human Resources by email to provide notice of the request, ask questions, or address an immediate need. Human Resources will then provide the form, which the employee must complete so the request can be reviewed and maintained in the College’s records.

The employee should provide:

• The religious belief, practice, or observance that conflicts with a work requirement;
• The work requirement creating the conflict;
• The accommodation requested; and
• The relevant dates, frequency, and anticipated duration.

The employee should provide as much advance notice as reasonably possible, particularly for requests involving schedule changes, class coverage, religious holidays, or recurring observances.

When a request is time-sensitive, Human Resources may begin discussing the request or consider a temporary arrangement while the completed form is pending. Human Resources will assist an employee who needs help completing or submitting the form.

3. Responsibility when a manager receives a request

A supervisor, department chair, dean, or other administrator who receives a request must forward it to Human Resources promptly. The manager may address an immediate, routine scheduling request if it can be granted without affecting operations, another employee's rights, workload, pay, or a collective bargaining agreement, but must notify HR so the outcome can be documented. The manager may not independently deny a request.

4. Review and cooperative discussion

Human Resources will speak with the employee and the responsible manager as needed to understand the conflict and identify an effective accommodation. The discussion should be practical and focused on what change would resolve the conflict and whether workable alternatives exist.

The employee's description of the religious basis for the request ordinarily will be accepted. HR may seek limited additional information only when the nature of the request or an objective, bona fide concern makes clarification reasonably necessary. RIC will not routinely require verification from clergy or proof that the belief is part of an organized religion.

5. Operational and labor review

The manager will provide HR with relevant operational information, including the work requirement involved, staffing or class coverage, essential duties, safety considerations, cost, duration, and possible alternatives. The manager should not investigate or judge the employee's religious belief.

HR will involve the following offices or individuals when appropriate:

• Academic Affairs, for faculty requests involving teaching, workload, class coverage, the academic calendar, or academic assignments; and
• The employee’s supervisor, manager, or appropriate department or division leadership, for staff requests, to understand the employees job responsibilities, scheduling and staffing needs, operational requirements, and possible accommodations.

HR may consult other College offices when their involvement is necessary to evaluate or implement a particular accommodation.

6. Determination

RIC will provide a reasonable accommodation that effectively resolves the religious conflict unless doing so would impose an undue hardship. Undue hardship requires an individualized assessment of the actual effect of the accommodation in the context of College operations; assumptions, coworker preference, or the possibility that others may make similar requests are not sufficient by themselves.

RIC may approve the employee's requested accommodation or another effective accommodation. Before denying a request, the College will consider reasonable alternatives. The CHRO or designee will confirm the determination in writing.

7. Written outcome and implementation

The written outcome will state whether the request is approved, approved with an alternative, or denied; describe the accommodation and its effective date and duration; identify any implementation responsibilities; and state when review is needed. Managers will receive only the information necessary to implement the accommodation.

Temporary arrangements may be used while a longer-term request is under review. An approved accommodation may be revisited if job duties, scheduling, the employee's needs, or operational circumstances materially change.

8. Questions, reconsideration, and non-retaliation

An employee who believes an accommodation is ineffective, or who has new information, should contact Human Resources for reconsideration. Concerns about discrimination, harassment, or retaliation may be reported to the Office of Institutional Equity. RIC prohibits retaliation against any individual for requesting an accommodation, participating in the process, or raising a good-faith concern.

9. Records and confidentiality

Human Resources will maintain accommodation requests and determinations in a central confidential record, separate from routine departmental files, and will share information only with those who need it to evaluate or implement the accommodation or as otherwise required by law.

Quick Workflow

1. Employee submits the completed Religious Accommodation Request Form to HR and, when the request may affect scheduling or coverage, notifies their supervisor.
2. HR confirms receipt and identifies any immediate need.
3. HR speaks with the employee and obtains operational facts from the manager.
4. HR consults Academic Affairs, Employees Supervisor, OIE or another office as needed.
5. CHRO/designee issues a short-written determination.
6. The department implements the accommodation, and HR keeps the central record.