Photos & Religion

HR Hat

We have an online Staff photo directory accessible to all staff. We have a sign-off precedure whereby staff can participate or opt out of their photo being in the directory.

Two new situations are coming where managers may want to require the use of photos:

1. One is the development of some new organizational charts. Some managers want photos with them.

2. The other is we are moving into a new facility in 8-10 months, and we will have a new building security system that uses ID badges to gain admittance. Some will want to use photos for the new ID badges.

Some people have opted out of the Staff photo directory for religious reasons. My question is this:

Can we required photos for the Organizational Chart OR for the new ID badges?

HR Hat

Paul in Cannon Beach

Can you provide more information on the basis of the employees objection?

What religion are they and how does having their photo taken violate the basic tenets of their belief system?

I personally can't imagine an argument strong enough to convince me that security standards should be pushed aside.

HR Hat

Sorry, someone else was handling the photo sign-offs, and I just don't remember what specific religion it was.

But the comment from the staff member was something along the lines of it's against their religion to have my picture taken ever - even for personal reasons.

When there was that horrible Amish school killing about a year ago, I remember hearing that the parents had no photos of their kids.

I do think that security reasons "should" trump about anything else. Common sense doesn't rule in HR, though, and that's why I'm asking.

HR Hat

joannie

The Amish are exempt fro OSHA requirements to wear hard hats on construction sites. If OSHA allows a religous exemption from safety issues, I don't see how a security issue would overide.

Paul in Cannon Beach

Does this person have a driver's license?

With a photo?

HR Hat

Yes, I'm sure that the person(s) (may be more than one) has a driver's license with a photo.

HR Hat

Paul in Cannon Beach

Ask them if you can scan the photo on their drivers license and use that photo for your ID badge.

HRQ

What happens when the Amish employee is struck on the head by a falling brick? W/C insurance can deny the claim and the employer cannot be sued in any way?

That was a serious question.

If providing a photo is a requirement of employment for valid security reasons, then it would take a lot of convincing for me to make an exception. It's not for morale or decoration.

What did they provide for I-9 purposes?

joannie

Nope, ER still on hook for comp. They should have secured the brick.

allsteaks

We have contracted with Amish members and they willingly had their pictures taken for identification and security requirements. I would respect their wish to not be photographed for other purposes. We could all learn from them.

HRQ

Good point about securing the brick, but the hardhats are required for safety reasons. I suppose that was a silly comparison on my part. I have never worked in construction, so I don't know what kind of injuries might happen, but the hardhats are required for a reason.

We require that employees wear gloves while changing diapers or applying first aid to an injured child. If they refused to wear gloves because of their religious beliefs, the risk of infection does not go away.

Wouldn't the request to not wear the hard hat, not wear gloves, not provide photo ID for valid security purposes, be considered "unreasonable?"