Just found this site . Thought I would share
Employment issues unique to Jehovah's Witnesses
by Watchtower-Free 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Julia Orwell
Gosh I've never heard of a Jw suing an employer over a religious matter. I've noticed America tends to have more of a culture of litigation than Australia. Here a Jw usually respectfully explains that they won't celebrate birthdays etc and people respect it and leave them alone. And workplaces have few patriotic ceremonies except when schools have ANZAC Day, but as a teacher I just sat at the back and the principals didn't care. We are much more laid back than our American brothers.
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rebel8
Julia, I assume you won't mind my response because you're so much more laid back than me and all. :/ We have a different legal system than you--so your apples are so much better than our oranges. Sometimes the only way to get one's legal rights respected here is to file a lawsuit. Most religious people here make requests to their employers and "people respect them and leave them alone" too. We have a law about that, but sometimes laws don't designate an enforcing authority, so it becomes a civil matter.
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Scully
Although the Telfairs lost overall because the USDC ruled that FEDEX had offered "reasonable accomodations", this USDC did rule that the Telfairs' belief that they were required to perform field ministry and Bible study on Saturdays was a protected "bona fide" religious belief -- at least at the summary judgment stage of a court case. Jehovah's Witnesses across the United States possibly may now point to this decision as legal justification for refusing to work on Saturdays. This USDC Opinion states, in part:
In their affidavits submitted in opposition to summary judgment, both plaintiffs aver that they hold a sincere belief it is their religious obligation to conduct Bible study groups and engage in field ministry work on Saturdays as members and elders in their Jehovah's Witness congregation. In deposition testimony, both further acknowledge that while it is customary for Jehovah's Witnesses to engage in field ministry on Saturdays, Jehovah's Witnesses are encouraged and permitted to pursue field ministry on Monday through Friday as well. Similarly, they both acknowledge that Bible study and faith sharing are permitted on days other than Saturday, and that there is nothing in Jehovah's Witness doctrine, scripture or tenets prohibiting its members from working on Saturdays, nor is there any sanction (excommunication, shunning, expulsion) imposed against Jehovah's Witnesses who work on Saturdays.
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Julia Orwell
Usually where I live, JWs just won't take work which interferes with their activities, or won't get hired. I experienced this many times.
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Hortensia
The confidentiality issue is an important one and the employer could wind up being screwed. What about a JW nurse who discovers, through confidential medical records, that a member of the congregation had a secret abortion. What if the nurse reported it to the elders, violating HIPAA among other things? In a real case, it caused quite a mess.
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Phizzy
I think in the U.K such a person would be dismissed, and would have no case to take to an Employment Tribunal, patient confidentiality is demanded as part of your terms of Employment in such roles.
I know of such a circumstance, and the Sister who gained the knowledge told me that were she to reveal it, it would "blow the Congregation apart".
I told her, even though an active JW at the time, that she had no right to reveal such knowledge, and she agreed.
I am intrigued to know what it was though, there is a large element of nosey bastard in me.