- What specifically and succinctly, are these expectations?
Under the law, employers are expected to uphold civil rights laws and avoid workplace discrimination. Reasonable accommodation in this case, for example, includes a changing work schedule for the faithful who worship on Sabbath, specific dress code on a specific religious day, religious practices such as having a tattoo on the body. Additional accommodation expectations include special prayer time, for instance, over lunchtime for Muslim adherents or Christians during Lent period. The management can make arrangement to have the conference room for a given time for prayer (Gold et al., 2012). Other additional accommodation includes respecting females requirements who may not wish to be with males in the same room at one given time. The above accommodations are protected by law and enforced by the EEOC.
Due to different religious and disability requirements, special cases may require special accommodation to avoid instances of discrimination against an individual based on religious practice or belief and or disability (Gold et al., 2012). For example, a disable employee may need a ramp to access given part of the office building, it is the responsibility of the employer to see to it that the employee special need is catered for within the environment of the workplace (Mika & Wimbiscus 2010). On the other hand, an individual may request for special working hours to attend to a religious practice. According the law, it is the duty of the employer to accommodate such as request.
- Who enforces these expectations?
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has the mandate to enforce and administer these laws at the workplace. The commission covers labor unions, employers who have over 15 employees and employment agencies (Breslin & White 2012). Through the management and labor unions, the EEOC helps the organization accommodate some of the expectations to avoid discrimination and instances of abuse of individuals in the workplace.
- Provide two specific private sector workplace examples of reasonable accommodation from your reading
Koch Industries, is Americas Largest Private Company. Headed by Charles Koch, the company has special reservation and time for the different religious faithful to say their prayers in addition to private moments. Additionally, the company has specially designed ramps for the disabled whose offices are specially designed to accommodate their wheelchairs and other special needs such as washrooms (Shaw et al., 2010). On the other hand, the company allows the disabled to take their time while moving from one point of the office to another. The situation is made in such a way that they are not inconvenienced in the hallways or elevators during working hours, reporting time, and departure time.
Dell, a technology hardware and Software Company is headed by its CEO, Michael Dell. The employer has a special day off for all religious faithful who worship on Friday. Additionally, any religious faithful who has a special religious practice to undertake, has the opportunity to take a special day off, as per the religious practice (Shaw et al., 2010). Religious practices within the company allowed with special rooms/offices designated for the activities within a specific timeline. On the other hand, the disabled have a special hallway reserved for their ease of movement, a feature that was added to accommodate their special needs during movement within the office area. Special needs such as special features within the office have been erected and established to accommodate their varying needs depending on an individual (Shaw et al., 2010).
References
Breslin, R. E., & White, M. (2012). Americans with Disabilities Act. In Occupational Ergonomics: Theory and Applications, Second Edition (pp. 1283-1287). CRC Press.
Gold, P. B., Oire, S. N., Fabian, E. S., & Wewiorski, N. J. (2012). Negotiating reasonable workplace accommodations: Perspectives of employers, employees with disabilities, and rehabilitation service providers. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 37(1), 25-37.
Mika, K., & Wimbiscus Shepherd, D. (2010). Responsibilities of Employers Toward Mentally Disabled Persons Under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Shaw, S. F., Keenan, W. R., Madaus, J. W., & Banerjee, M. (2010). Disability Documentation, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, and the Summary of Performance: How Are They Linked?. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(3), 142-150.