Jehovah's Witnesses

[MissHoneychurch]

Would you employ someone who is a member of that ... uh ... congregation?

Bear in mind you are an secular institution. The person has a lot of contact with the members of the institutions (not the other employees - that is another topic). Members who are mainly elderly people and who are huge fans of literature and culture.
Do you think a Jehovah's Witness can really leave her/his religion outside the work place?

[Guava Jelly]

1. I think it just depends on the individual

I think you just need to inform him to not bring his religon to work

[MissHoneychurch]

4. We already told the person in the interview

that we are a secular institution and that no religion of ANY kind has to find its way inside this house.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

15. You're halfway to a lawsuit already -- WTF, Go For It

You've basically told this person that you have a problem with his/her religion and that it's playing a role in your hiring decision. I'd sue you in a New York Minute just for being so incredibly indiscreet during the interview.

[MissHoneychurch]

16. Keep in mind

I am in Germany and here we are not suing everything and everyone.

[tjwmason]

22. Whether or not you'd get sued isn't the right question.

The right question is 'is it legal to discriminate?' I don't know about German law, but I do know that British law bans discrimination on religious grounds, I can well imagine German law having a similar provision.

Absent any evidence that this person's religion would affect their work, it is also distinctly immoral to allow personal views about their religion to affect the decision of whether to employ them.

Nobody on this thread has shown a case of a J.W. "preaching" at work, several have given cases of the opposite.

[LostinVA]

19. She lives in Germany and works as a librarian

Just some FYIs.

[Broken_Hero]

2. :)

"Do you think a Jehovah's Witness can really leave her/his religion outside the work place?"

yes, two of my friends are jeehovah's witnesses, and they, did seperate work, from religion...mostly...:)

on edit:grammer...

[MissHoneychurch]

3. But "mostly" isn't enough here

it must be 100%

I know you aren't allowed to discriminate anyone because of her/his religion. But damn, it is hard in this case.

[Broken_Hero]

5. what i meant by mostly was

they kept it seperate from work, except when it came to me, because I was there friend, and we discussed religion/god and all of that, during lunch breaks, and breaks...:) They didn't prance around condemning christmas, or halloweeen, or anything like that...

[MissHoneychurch]

8. OK

thanks.

I admit I am thoroughly prejudiced here. And it is really hard for me not to let those prejudices flow into the decision

[Fleshdancer]

6. Why would I know if s/he were a Jehovah's Witness?

The employment would be based on the experience and qualifications of the potential employee. Religion shouldn't have anything to do with the decision.

[MissHoneychurch]

9. This person had it in the application

and was open about it.

[datasuspect]

13. i would have "file 13'ed" that in the application stages

i agree with you.

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. Yes

I used to work with one. Her work was beyond reproach, and her beliefs were never mentioned, AFAIK. And she wasn't the least bit staid or dull.

Matter o' fact, she once broke me up by walking through the newsroom in an imitation of Lucy Ricardo's "vamp" walk.

(Her husband pissed me off a couple times, though. Stopped by to see her about something and left his Big-Assed Diesel Pickup idling out front for like 20 minutes.) :grr:

[Heidi]

10. I wouldn't discriminate on the basis of a person's religion.

If the person is well-qualified for the job, what would his/her personal life/religion have to do with it?

[tjwmason]

11. Without hesitation.

Putting aside the fact that to decline them work on that basis would be (rightly) illegal, J.W.s are supposed to keep their work and religion separate.

I worked with one for ages, it only came out in a passing conversation - the same way that my religion came out - and it was never any sort of issue. She kept a copy of their (mis)translation of the Bible in her desk, but never flaunted it, never tried to recruit anybody...she went to an annual rally with them, but that was taken in her usual holiday time and most people didn't even know what she was doing.

[China_cat]

12. Some of them can.

Not many, but some.

And some other evangelical religious can be totally obnoxious. Such as the one my husband worked with for some time. Was constantly going on about how god got him that job so that he could witness to others, etc but wouldn't bother to learn his job or bring his skills up to where they needed to be. They carried him for almost a year trying to get him to do something other than preach but finally had to let him go. He tried to sue for discrimination but, luckily, there was a paper trail.

We later found out that he trusted god to protect him while he worked under his car...with it propped up on just a tire jack. Jack slipped and the car crushed him.

[AirmensMom]

14. Yep.

JWs aren't the only ones who can be obnoxious about their religion. We had a Baptist lady at work who was CONSTANTLY preaching to us about something. But there are plenty of religious people (like me) who would never breathe a word of it in the workplace. If this person is qualified, give him/her a chance.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. Sure I would - I've worked with some, and found them no different

than most people.

They don't do the parties and a few other things, but they've all been hard workers, efficient, and very kind. And never a one proselytized at work - I don't think they're allowed to.

[LostinVA]

18. Don't do it, Miss HC

I know where you work... they will "witness" to patrons.

[Deep13]

20. unlawful to discriminate (edited)

He/she does not have to leave his or her religion outside the office, only the religious practices.

I just noticed you live in another country.

All I can say is that you would not have wanted the decision to hire you to have turned on religious bigotry.

BTW, we are not suing everyone and everything in America. That is a myth spread by the corporate media. This country has no national health care and the only way to recover medical costs or economic losses for an injury is to bring a lawsuit. We have an adversarial, Common Law system, not a European inquisitorial one, so people cannot simply rely on the system to take care of them.

[Blue Diadem]

21. I've never had a situation with a JW doing their witnessing

during work. Maybe I never worked with one but I suspect at least a few were over the years. A former neighbor is JW, she never witnessed to me either..nor did a friend from HS. I tend to think they have a specific time they are to go witnessing..thus the door to door deal. Maybe a JW on the board can tell us.

I've always run into the Evangelical born again type that actually are offensive. They act and speak like only they are saved and everyone else is going to Hell. I worked at a major retail establishment with those that carried their bibles with them and insisted the company give them a private room for prayer meetings. They would also use their religion to force others to work every Sunday so they could have it off..funny that was only during our slow periods and we were all on commission. That was back in the 80's though. In DH's employment, it's only been the last few years that he's told me of co-workers asking him if he's saved and giving him somewhat nasty responses when he tells them he's Catholic.

To get to the answer of your question..I wouldn't have a problem hiring a JW.

[Katina]

23. I've worked with a few JWs

some keep their religion to themselves and others mention it in passing, like when people in the office would celebrate someones birthday. They wouldn't participate because of their beliefs. Beyond that, no biggie.

[philosophie_en_rose]

24. Of course. Deal with behavior, if it comes up.

I wouldn't use my prejudices to prevent someone from earning a living.

If the worker proselytizes, address it. Why discriminate based on unfounded assumptions?

[Bunny]

25. My cousins (four sisters) are Jehovah's Witnesses.

The two that are employed outside the home are very low key, and do not let their religion enter the workplace.