Religious Accommodations

Religious Accommodations

The University of Denver community is enriched by individuals of many faiths who have various religious observances, practices, and beliefs. In affirming this diversity, and consistent with relevant laws and regulations, the University provides reasonable accommodations for employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, except where an accommodation would create an undue hardship.

A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment or requirements that allows an employee to observe their sincerely held religious beliefs and practices. The need for religious accommodation may arise where an employee's religious beliefs, observances, or practices conflict with a specific task or requirement of the position. Accommodation requests often relate to work schedules, dress and grooming requirements, or other religious expression in the workplace. Examples of reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs may include, but are not limited to, time allocated for prayer during a workday, time away from work to attend religious events or observe a religious holiday, allowing adjustments for religious attire, dress, grooming or other religious requirements.

All faculty, staff, and other programming groups are strongly urged to be mindful of major holy days when scheduling meetings, events, and other programs. For more information, visit the Interfaith Calendar website.

How to request an accommodation

Employees seeking a religious accommodation must submit a written request for the accommodation to their supervisor. Staff should submit accommodation requests to their supervisors; faculty should submit accommodation request to their department chair, director, or other appropriate individual identified within their academic unit.

The employee must identify the religious/work conflict that exists and the accommodation they are requesting.

Staff members who are requesting to take time off from work to observe a religious holiday must notify their supervisors no less than one week in advance of the date of the holiday.  The employee may, at their choice, take the time off without pay or use vacation time, if available. With their supervisor’s permission, the employee may make up the time through an alternate work schedule.

Faculty or other instructors who will miss a scheduled class or other academic  instructional meeting must notify their department chair, director or other appropriate individual identified within their academic unit no less than three (3) weeks in advance of the date of the absence and explain the alternative arrangements that they have made for missing the class or instructional meeting, such as holding a makeup class, having a guest speaker or another instructor attend, or an activity that would not require the instructor to be present.

The supervisor or academic administrator will evaluate the request in good faith and consult with their HR Partner regarding any questions or concerns about the accommodation request. Where a work conflict exists due to a sincerely held religious belief or practice, the University will grant an accommodation unless doing so would create an undue hardship for the University, provided that the University is not required to grant the specific accommodation requested by the employee and may provide alternative effective accommodations.

Employees who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of religion by the denial of a religious accommodation, may contact the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX to learn about filing a discrimination complaint. The University’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy, (EOIX 3.10.010), prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of religion, including the failure to provide reasonable accommodations as required by law.