Prayers Meetings Before Work
Rockie
2,136 Posts
Do any of you have any issues with people wanting to have a "prayer meeting" before work? We have a supervisor who does this on a weekly basis and now other employees are starting to complain because of the playing of religious music and employees jumping up and saying things like "thank you Jesus" and "Praise the Lord".
My personal opinion is that there is a time and place for everything and work isn't the place to do this. I also feel a supervisor is putting themselves on the line promoting something like this with employees maybe feeling pressured to join the group or some kind of retaliation for not joining the group.
How do you guys handle situations and requests like this?
My personal opinion is that there is a time and place for everything and work isn't the place to do this. I also feel a supervisor is putting themselves on the line promoting something like this with employees maybe feeling pressured to join the group or some kind of retaliation for not joining the group.
How do you guys handle situations and requests like this?
Comments
We had them start after work to make sure the meeting never had a chance of running into work time, or having any impact on other employees coming in (people started coming in 10-15 minutes before work time, but everyone left at 4:30).
The employees in the study group never interfered with the other employees, but management became increasingly nervous due to the fear other groups would demand space too. Eventually we asked the group to meet somewhere else. They found a nearby restaurant willing to accomodate them and that is where they went.
Are you saying the employees jump up and say things during the day, or during the meeting? You would certainly want to address these issues differently depending upon when they jump up. However, either way you have a situation where one's religious expression is having a negative impact on others. That means it has to stop.
Good luck!
Nae
I find this a difficult question to deal with because my faith tells me to side with those who want to hold the prayer meeting, but on the other hand, the workplace is not a church. If it gets noisy and obtrudes on other employees creating a disturbance, then the group is going too far and should be told to tone it down if they want to continue holding their meetings. The supervisor should be told that he/she could be setting up themselves and the company for a discrimination case if not careful. If there is any hint of favortisim shown to participants, you've got a big problem.
It the Bible study group was not creating a disturbance, it would not have been a concern.
I agree with you on how to treat the disruption and the basis the employer should use when dealing with the noisy employees. However, I disagree on your final point. If you make room for this group to study you have to be prepared to make room for other groups. That could include a group who studies Satanism or one who wants to organize a union. Either of these could become a major nightmare. It seems preferable to me to avoid the possibility all together and request that the group study elsewhere.
Just my 2 cents.
Nae
have the meeting. The two employees who complained did not even really object to the prayer meetings at 7AM before work. The complaints were about the loud music and the jumping up and praising all during the day that disrupted them as they all work in a common area.
The other issue I have is with the supervisor leading the prayer meetings and employees feeling they are either getting favortism or others are being slighted because they do not wish to join in the meetings.
You are right that a door is being opened up to let any and all groups meet.
Thanks for your input.
Playing loud music in a work area seems like an issue you could address with your existing policies. Jumping up and yelling though just seems odd to me. If the behavior is as you have reported it seems a little obnoxious. Maybe I am not spiritual enough but I dont jump up and yell "Praise Jesus!" at work.
As for favoritism, unless you have seen evidence of that, I dont think you should jump to conclusions.
And let me conclude with this. People of faith often have to work alongside others who use daily profanity and talk freely on subjects that are often offensive to them. So be a little gracious if they have sought to create a time of prayer together. Unless you can't point to a verifiable negative impact in your workplace, I wouldn't prohibit these types of activities.
I have to side with Nae on this. You can not pick and choose which door you want to open to which group.
hehe
"Sorry, but if we allow your prayer meetings then we have to allow the satanists to gather and if we allow the satanists to gather, it won't be long before they'll start organizing a union."
On second read though I totally agree with Nae.
My emphasis on the behavior is what keeps me out of trouble and not having to be in a position to sanction or not sanction the reason for the behavior (we are praising God for heaven's sake -- I can just hear it). What I meant by the last sentence was if there is quiet praising in an office, it is not an isse because no one knows but you and your God. It is the behavior that made it an issue with management in the first place.
[url]http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/best_practices_religion.html[/url]