Religious Accomodation or Hostile Work environment?

jules2001

Now, I don't mean to bring up the confederate flag debate, again, but...I have a new receptionist who has a desk area at the front(of course) of our offices that can be seen by everyone. There are only 10 employees in this admin. area. Not that anyone is offended, but the new receptionist has put a scrolling screen saver with either a scripture from the bible or a saying about The Lord on her computer. I told her that I thought that was not a good idea, in case anyone was offended. She said that she read that by the law I cannot tell her that she cannot have that on her computer because it is her personal space and I cannot tell her what she can and cannot put there if it is religious. She said she read somewhere that a women won a case against a company because she was told to remove her religious scrolling screen saver. Company policy has nothing specific - What is your opinion/knowledge?

Theresa Gegen TX

I believe there is such a case. If you allow employees to have whatever they want on their computer screens, you should not single her out because it is a religious message. I have also seen this with pictures on the wall or crosses on the wall. If people can generally put up whatever they like, then people who like religious stuff should not be treated differently.

If the message were overtly harassing to others (Like it talked about people going to "He__") or someone complained that it was harassing to them, you might have a reason to ask her to remove it.

But it sounds like that is not the case. You can not make her remove the message if other people can have whatever they want (cartoon, shakespear quotes, etc) on their screens.

In our office, there is only one background allowed for all (the firms standard background). All are treated the same, so there is no question.

Good Luck!!

Don D

My OPINION is that if the company allows its employees to select their own screen savers and computer desktop arrangement, you might be on thin ice to dictate to her what her's cannot be. On the other hand, some might consider it proselytizing. I don't think, though, that anyone would be genuinly offended if each is allowed to define their own workspace in a like manner. The bottom line is it's the company's computer, not her personal hardware. She does not have an inalienable right to have a scrolling marquee unless the company grants employees that right. But I would not confront her to the exclusion of all others having complete freedom to do the same. She might also be just as offended by the scrolling message "Thank God it's five o'clock - Meet me At O'Charley's"

Shawn

We had folks brining in pictures of their family and putting those on the computers. We got tired of it and set all the computers to one common background and screen saver.

ray a

Several years ago, I had a screen saver that read "HR Fools the World". It was a takeoff on the popular saying "(fill in the blank) Rules the World". Someone was offended and reported me to our corporate headquarters. My computer was situated so you had to make an effort to see the screen. I removed it.

I agree, you can't single out religious sayings if you allow people to customize their screen savers and backgrounds.

Whatever

The computer belongs to the company. Our company rules state that. Therefore, we have do not allow individualization of screen savers, backgrounds etc.

Whirlwind

I agree with what others have said about treating everyone the same -- either disallow all personalized screen savers or allow everyone to display anything within reason. But here's another take on it: By your account, this person is the receptionist and her computer screen is plainly visible to visitors to your office, which presumably includes other employees, job applicants, and maybe your company's customers. What if you have a non-Christian employee who infers from this display that your office subtly favors Christians? What if an applicant or customer thinks that this suggests an alignment between your company and Christianity (you know - like the businesses that the little fish on their signs).

On a related note, here's something that happened at a workplace I'm familiar with: A supervisor's car, parked in the parking lot, sported a bumper sticker proudly proclaiming "Doing my part to p*ss off the Religious Right!" When this supervisor disciplined an employee for neglect of duties, that employee filed a grievance alleging that the disciplinary action was in retaliation for her Christian beliefs."

It's always something.

Rockie

As with the other posts, I don't think you can make her take her message off her computer if you allow others to put anything they wish on their screens. It doesn't appear that this has bothered anyone so far and as long as she doesn't take it a step further and try to recruit people into her religion, etc., I'd say leave it alone unless you want to dictate to everyone what they can and can't do with their screensavers. Otherwise, devise a company logo screensaver and require everyone to use this.

We don't have such a policy in our organization because there hasn't been a need so far, but we have had complaints where people "paper" their door (that open to the hall) with baby pictures, etc. We have had to ask individuals to confine personal stuff to the inside of their office. As much as they love watching little Junior with strained peas all over his face, others might not think it's that cute.