Religious Accommodation Request

This template is used to document an employee’s request for a religious accommodation at work. It captures the religious basis, the work impact, the dates or urgency of the request, and any proposed alternatives. That gives HR and the manager a consistent record for review, follow-up, and the final decision.

The employee should complete the request details and describe the accommodation needed, while HR can review the submission and gather any follow-up information. In some workplaces, a manager may help route the form, but the employee should be the primary source for the religious basis and requested change. Keep the form focused on what is needed to evaluate the request, not on unrelated personal history.

Use it whenever an employee asks for a change to schedule, dress, grooming, prayer time, observance, or another work condition because of a sincerely held religious belief. It is also useful when the request is temporary, recurring, or tied to a specific holiday or observance. If the request is informal at first, this form helps convert it into a documented process.

Yes. The template is structured to capture the information employers typically need to evaluate a Title VII religious accommodation request, including the request, impact, and alternatives. It also supports review under the Groff v. DeJoy framework by documenting whether the accommodation would create substantial increased costs or other undue hardship considerations. The form itself does not make the legal decision, but it helps create a clear audit trail for that decision.

Collect only the minimum information needed to evaluate the request. Avoid asking for sensitive religious details beyond what is necessary, and do not add unrelated health, immigration, or family information. If you collect any PII, include a clear confidentiality notice and explain what happens after submission.

It is typically used whenever a new accommodation request is made, and again if the employee needs to update dates, frequency, or alternatives. Some employers also reuse it for periodic review when a temporary accommodation expires or the work arrangement changes. A recurring request should be documented each time the scope changes.

Yes. You can tailor the request type options, add role-specific essential duties, or use conditional logic to show only the fields that apply to shift work, customer-facing roles, or safety-sensitive jobs. The best customization keeps the form short at first and expands only when the employee selects a relevant request type. That improves usability and reduces unnecessary PII collection.

Route submissions to HR, the employee’s manager, and any accommodation reviewer or legal contact your process requires. Many teams connect the form to case management, ticketing, or document storage so the request, notes, and decision stay in one audit trail. If you use an HRIS or workflow tool, make sure the submission confirmation tells the employee what happens next and who will contact them.

Common mistakes include making every field required, asking for too much detail, and failing to capture alternative options. Another issue is not documenting the essential duties of the role, which makes it harder to assess the impact of the accommodation. The form should also include a confidentiality acknowledgment and a no-retaliation statement so the employee knows the process is handled carefully.