42 | STEVENS EMPLOYEE MANUAL Policy on Time Away From Responsibilities for Religious Observance Stevens provides reasonable accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs, observances and practices, in accordance with applicable federal and state law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. This section applies to all Stevens employees, including full-time, part-time and temporary staff, as well as student employees. The Policy on Time Away From Stevens’ Responsibilities for Religious Observance, which may be found in Stevens’ Policy Library, addresses the ways in which members of the Stevens community may take time away from their work, studies or athletic responsibilities for religious observances. Members of the Stevens community may request an accommodation permitting time away from work, studies or athletic responsibilities for a religious observance by submitting the Religious Accommodation Request Form. Employees, including student employees, should submit requests as early as possible at the start of each semester and at least 14 days in advance of the anticipated observance whenever possible. Stevens will evaluate each request to determine whether it can be reasonably granted without creating an undue burden on the university’s operational or academic obligations. The Policy on Time Away From Stevens’ Responsibilities for Religious Observance provides additional details, including information on the interactive process, determination and notification and the appeal process. Religious & Cultural Observance Guidelines Each academic year, Stevens publishes a list of holidays on which university offices are closed and no classes are held. However, the university will not be closed on every date on which members of our community may have religious or cultural observances. See Notice of Religious and Cultural Observances. When possible, employees should avoid scheduling large institutional and departmental events on listed observance dates. Employees should also avoid assigning major work, quizzes, exams and presentations be due on these dates. Faculty and staff observing religious or cultural holidays must request time away in accordance with Policy on Time Away from Stevens’ Responsibilities for Religious Observance found in the Policy Library and provide advance notice to supervisors or department chairs (or deans) to allow for planning and coverage. 8.13 RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE: ACCOMMODATIONS AND SCHEDULING GUIDELINES allowed to take up to five workdays off with pay, including the day of the funeral. An Immediate Family Member is defined as the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, child, stepchild, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or other equivalent relationship (including equivalent “step” relationships). Close Relative In the event of the death of a Close Relative of a full-time employee, the employee will be allowed to take up to three workdays off with pay, including the day of the funeral. A Close Relative is defined as the employee’s aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, sibling-in-law, first cousin, resident of the same household as the employee, or other equivalent relationship. Other Close Relationship In the event of the death of an individual with another close relationship to the employee, the employee may not take bereavement leave but may use one sick or vacation day for bereavement purposes. The Division of Human Resources will assist employees in categorizing individuals with “equivalent relationships.”
