Schedule Grievance

[jodyjones]

I work as an EMT for a private company, been there for about 5 months now, and I love the work I do, but lately I've been having an issue with my schedule. I'm on 5 days a week, and about a month ago I put in a request to be taken off Sundays on my regular schedule due to religious responsibilities given to me by my pastor. My supervisor has been putting it off for quite a while now and I've been really distraught. About a month ago 4 EMTs left the company for whatever reason so there had been a ton of open shifts, but from my understanding an employee is entitled to practice their religious beliefs and employers must accommodate their schedule, especially if told in advance. I was just wondering if there was anyone out there going through the same thing at their Co. and what would be the proper way on handling this issue. Thanks for listening fellow EMS heads

 

[Aidey]

You are likely SOL. Employers are required to make reasonable accommodations, and letting you off work every Sunday when it is your regularly scheduled day to work likely does not qualify as "reasonable". In order to get the time off you will probably need to use your vacation time or do shift trades with someone else.

 

[abckidsmom]

Yep. Going to church regularly and working in EMS can be impossible. My husband comes to church 6 of 9 Sundays, assuming he gets off on time and has the sort of night that he's able to stay awake through the service.

He serves in other random capacities throughout the church, and doesn't commit to a weekly obligation because of his rotating schedule.

 

[Chimpie]

Did you state your religious responsibilities during the interview process? If not then you'll probably have a hard time getting the day off.

As a manager I had to deal with this from time to time. Someone would say they are available 24/7 just to get hired, and the once hired try to get their availability changed. Didn't work.

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[MMiz]

I am not a lawyer, but the industry norm in EMS is that you'll be scheduled according to when the service or company needs you.

The proper way of handing this issue is once speaking to your supervisor directly and stating clearly that you're not willing to work on Sundays.

If you're willing to fight the fight, and possibly lose your job over it, then go for it! Good luck!

 

[mycrofft]

Go to your company's Human Resources dept,

Your scheduler or supervisor may be working under pressure---scratch that, in fact, probably IS working under pressure---to keep all the shifts standardized and filled. When one person has to do something "different", it affects the company, usually with someone else getting overtime plus paying the person who takes vacation to attend religious or other affairs. If HR says they have to accomodate, then they will.
Forcing you to take vacation is probably not legal, but terminating your employment or moving you to part time or nights because they cannot otherwise reasonably accomodate you might be.
Gottta weigh priorities. Sort of like a college student who likes his part time job as bouncer for a strip club and needs the money, then get accepted for seminary school....

 

[Aidey]

Forcing you to take vacation is probably not legal, but letting you go because they cannot reasonably accommodate you might be.

I wouldn't bet on that. We have a guy here who is very religious, and his options were take vacation or do shift trades if he wanted Sunday off. I should note that our vacation time is all in one PTO that is used for sick time or vacation.

 

[Anjel]

I wouldn't bet on that. We have a guy here who is very religious, and his options were take vacation or do shift trades if he wanted Sunday off. I should note that our vacation time is all in one PTO that is used for sick time or vacation.

Same with my company. A guy here needed friday off for doctors appointments. Every week. And he has to either trade or use PTO

 

[Aerin-Sol]

I don't know what faith you practice but I don't think "religious responsibilities from my pastor" are religious obligations that the company would need to work around. Either way, you're probably SOL. The only thing you could try would be asking whoever is in charge of scheduling if any of the open shifts have Sundays off, and see about switching to one of those.

 

[steveshurtleff]

Consider this: If fulfilling your church's obligations (or any other ogranization's needs, for that matter) costs you your job, would the church be there to put a roof over your head and feed you and your family? Sometimes practical issues have to come first. Your faith might not be very comforting if you're homeless and hungry.

 

[DrParasite]

but from my understanding an employee is entitled to practice their religious beliefs and employers must accommodate their schedule, especially if told in advance.

sorry to say, but your understanding is wrong.

unless your employer agreed to accommodate you (your schedule was always monday to friday due to religious reasons, and they were ok with it when you got hired), then you are SOL.

Once in a while an employer can sometimes bend the rules. but they are under NO obligation to accommodate your religion, especially when they never had to before. best thing to do is work out a switch with someone else who will work your sunday and you work their day on a regular basis. this way you get off on sundays to do your religious things, and the company's staffing isn't compromised.

You can try fighting it in court, but you will probably lose. good luck with whatever you do.