Someone I know is considering applying for a job in a local day-care center, one that is affiliated, but not directly run by, a church (certain church members are paid administrators. The church itself does not run it. It shares a name with the church due to a past association that no longer exists). This is in Oregon.
On the employment application it states very clearly that employees must hold beliefs in line with the daycare’s affiliated church philosophy. One page of the application has various bible verses printed out, and asked the potential employee to initial next to each one, stating that they agree with the statement. Finally, employees are asked to attend church and the application asks the church attended and name of the pastor – church attendance is verified by the center before someone is hired.
Now, my knowledge of employment laws is nil, but I can’t imagine this is legal. Employees are not teaching Sunday school, they are working at a for-profit daycare open to the public. I know most churches ask their congregation to sign a statement of faith and allegiance to their pastor, but an employee of a daycare?? Even if it was part of a church, are paid employees, hired from a Craigslist ad, required to reveal religious information? Are required to attend church?
A friend attends a church that asks all members to sign a card basically stating that they, as a church member, will abide by church rules and follow the religious teachings of the pastor, as well as agreeing to help with church activities and duties like bake sales and church clean-up. Anyone who doesn’t sign can attend services, but cannot attend church meetings, etc. Not sure how common this is, despite my previous post. Apologies. ETA: Seems bizarre to me.
This very issue came up with a current co-worker of mine. Before she worked at the law firm where I now work, she was an accredited representative employed by a local religiously based nonprofit that represented indigent people in immigration matters. The agency changed its policy after she had worked there for several years to require all employees to affirm they held beliefs in line with those of the denomination that funded the agency.
Many employees were pretty pissed off, obviously, but the policy was held to be legal and a number of people, my co-worker included, quit in protest.
Employers’ requirements to avoid discrimination on religious grounds is fairly weak, among all the anti-discrimination rules. And a church or religious organization is permitted to discriminate in favor of its own religion.