Does THD have the right to..

[Bladestunner316]

I was working on requesting sundays off at work for church. My manager told me that Home Depot would have to call my church and verify that I attend there. Is this legal? I personally think its an invasion of my privacy.

Any opinions on this...

blade

THD=The Home Depot

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Give up the privacy, get the time. Your privacy is God's property. He won't let it get away from you (or somehow let the info be used against you) except he gets more glory by it. Don't treat it like an idol, spend it in this case like money.

 

[Bandguy]

Give up the privacy, get the time. Your privacy is God's property. He won't let it get away from you (or somehow let the info be used against you) except he gets more glory by it. Don't treat it like an idol, spend it in this case like money.

I totally agree. Why try to hide this and miss an opportunity to witness?

 

[Bladestunner316]

No I was not intending to hide it. It just feels a bit invasive. Why is it any of there business. They dont need to run my personal life. I have no problem if they want to confirm that I go to my church.

Do they have the legal right to do this though? Have other employeers doen this to anyone here?

 

[PresReformed]

They actually have no right to ask your church whether or not you attend there, but if that makes them happy then I'd give them the number. I would suggest that you put your request in writing though, comes in handy later if you need it.

 

[Augusta]

I haven't heard of employers checking before Blade but I can see people just saying they attend church so they can have it off when they really are not regular church go'ers. Employers have responded by checking to see if they are indeed regular church go'ers.

 

[Puddleglum]

Nate - they may seem like they're invading your privacy, and being more picky about this than they need to be, but as far as I know that's a perfectly legit policy here in WA. (There have been people at our church in the same / similar situation).

 

[Richard King]

I worked for them and I was good.
They never allowed me to be off for church at all.
They warned me that it was against policy the day I was interviewed and asked only for Sunday off. They said if they did that then everyone would suddenly "get religion." In the end it was a nice look at how a corporation works. It is ofcourse a Godless entity.
In retrospect the perfect job with Home Depot would have been a part time position, those guys got to pick and choose their hours which allows you to work a second job or another option might be inventory management working from 4am to noon or one. Ours didn't work on Sunday. I am praying that now that the big boss man Nardelli has "retired" and taken his 210 million dollars of severance pay that Home Depot will be restored to the way it once was.

 

[Bladestunner316]

They can call my pastor all they want. I just was not clear on how that was legally. Home Depot is most definetely a godless entity.

Joshua,
THD is not really optional for me unless you consider losing my truck,apartment, and way to eat the other option. Or working for another place for even less and living off of welfare an option. Believe me Ive been searching endlessly for another option.

Well Im done I guess its more common than I thought. It's invasive in the sense of there being no trust developed between employee and employer. It sets a bad precedent in my opinion.

In Christ,
Blade

 

[Bladestunner316]

I wish I never had to take it. But at the time it was my only option I was on my last week of unemployment. Sometimes I wish I never took it. Knowing what I know now. I would never recomend them to anyone Christian or not.

Ive been searching for other work. I would have had the job at Comcast yesterday if I passed the math exam. BUt Im going to study up on my math and retake it in 6 months. Which seem like an eternity at this point. But they are willing to give me sundays off and pay me alot more and give me better benies. So there is hope just 6 months away.

I just pray I dont snap any more than I have and quit. I have one manager who has harrassed me alot and told me I shouldnt be a Head Cashier. I talked to HR about it. At times he is better. But Ive really made an effort to get along with him. He knows I dont like him. But Im trying to be the better person. Trying.

Sorry If Ive come of short to you Joshua I dont mean too. I just been so discouraged and frustrated. I just gotten used to employers willing to give sundays off without an argument. No questions asked. That I did not think I was being unreasonable. I guess I was wrong.

 

[Bladestunner316]

Thank you Joshua you can and are very encouraging to me brother

 

[LadyFlynt]

Nathan, it's an honest living and you are working...Kudos! When hubby would go through layoffs and there were more men than openings, he went for whatever he could get so he didn't go a day without working (other than Lord's Day when possible). It may not be prime, but I'm glad you have something...and I understand the "this was my only opening". Clarifying the Sunday thing in interview is VERY important. I'm not in WA...but I have never heard of that being done (however, someone stated that it was standard procedure in WA). Law states they have to give way religious days of observance...you just have to be consistant (I had one place that agreed to Lord's Day off, but would schedule me anyhow to test me, I called in and reminded them every time that they needed to find a replacement for me).

Richard, whomever you had as a manager was breaking law. To not hire a person because they are of a particular religious belief (ie., one that requires a day of observance once a week), is illegal. Yes, "everyone" may suddenly get religion...but they can go based on the interview. If it wasn't mentioned in the interview or there is no furthur evidence that the person has changed (thus the request for a call to the church in this case), then they can just blow it off.

 

[Pilgrim]

Nathan, it's an honest living and you are working...Kudos! When hubby would go through layoffs and there were more men than openings, he went for whatever he could get so he didn't go a day without working (other than Lord's Day when possible). It may not be prime, but I'm glad you have something...and I understand the "this was my only opening". Clarifying the Sunday thing in interview is VERY important. I'm not in WA...but I have never heard of that being done (however, someone stated that it was standard procedure in WA). Law states they have to give way religious days of observance...you just have to be consistant (I had one place that agreed to Lord's Day off, but would schedule me anyhow to test me, I called in and reminded them every time that they needed to find a replacement for me).

Richard, whomever you had as a manager was breaking law. To not hire a person because they are of a particular religious belief (ie., one that requires a day of observance once a week), is illegal. Yes, "everyone" may suddenly get religion...but they can go based on the interview. If it wasn't mentioned in the interview or there is no furthur evidence that the person has changed (thus the request for a call to the church in this case), then they can just blow it off.

If I'm not mistaken, the federal law states that religious days of observance must be granted UNLESS it causes an undue burden on the employer. More often, if you put you can't work Sundays on an app (i.e. in a situation where the app is filled out prior to the interview) it will end up in File 13 if it is a business that is open on Sunday. There are some businesses whose biggest day is Sunday, so obviously someone who has problems with working that day is not going to work out.

Similarly, I was recently told by a store manager in a major retailer that he simply does not hire people under 18 due to the myriad of labor regulations that have to be followed for those who are under 18.

 

[Richard King]

Good points.

It is true that IF you mention you are not available 'as needed' at the Home Depot I worked at then you are not allowed to be full time and therefore do not get the benefits like insurance, stock plans etc. I was told by a dept head that if I made "a good hand" he would work with me and fix it so I had Sunday's off.
I did well.
Any co worker would testify to that. I actually loved the job itself.
I never got the free Sunday. In fact for some reason every MANDATORY store meeting was held on Sunday Morning.
I saw lots of laws broken. I just never felt a calling to get lawyers and make them do right. I have crusaded before for change. Not sure it is worth it.

Because of diversity hiring policies we had LOTS of homosexuals and in fact one of my superiors who was a lesbian was allowed off to "rescue cats" go to diversity events and all types of bizarre reasons that no one would convey. It was just a situation where the like minded kept care of their own so she got considerations that I couldn't get.

In the end, I knew what I was getting in to somewhat when they told me no Sundays off so I am not blameless. Maybe I should have had more faith and waited. I just needed work. I relearned what I already knew. You dance with the devil...eventually a cloven hoof will step on your toes.