1. Policy Statement
Family Promise of Puget Sound (FPOPS) is committed to providing compassionate and inclusive services that respect the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and practices of all families experiencing homelessness whom we serve. We recognize that religious and spiritual beliefs are deeply personal and important. While our primary mission is to provide safe shelter and support toward self-sufficiency, FPOPS will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs or practices of our individuals, where feasible and consistent with our program’s primary mission, safety requirements, and without causing undue burden on our operations or fundamentally altering our services.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to:
* Affirm FPOPS’s commitment to treating all individuals with respect and dignity, including their religious beliefs.
* Establish a clear and accessible process for individuals to request adjustments related to their sincerely held religious beliefs or practices.
* Ensure that requests for accommodation are promptly and fairly reviewed.
* Balance the diverse needs of individual individuals with the need to maintain a safe, functional, and consistent program environment for all.
* Promote a service environment that respects and values religious diversity within the context of our shelter and support programs.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all individuals currently receiving services from Family Promise of Puget Sound, including families staying in our Day Center, Night Shelter facilities, or participating in FPOPS-sponsored programs and activities.
4. Guiding Principles
* Respect for Diversity: Value and respect the diverse religious and spiritual beliefs and practices of all individuals.
* Individual-Centered Approach: Strive to understand and respond to the unique needs of each individual family, including those related to their faith.
* Program Integrity and Safety: Ensure that any accommodation provided does not compromise the safety and well-being of other individuals or staff, fundamentally alter the nature of FPOPS’s services, or create an undue burden on program operations.
* Good-Faith Discussion: Engage in open and respectful discussion with individuals regarding their religious accommodation requests.
* Confidentiality: Handle all discussions and information related to religious accommodation requests with appropriate confidentiality.
* Non-Retaliation: No individual will suffer adverse consequences for requesting a religious accommodation in good faith.
5. Definitions
* Religious Belief or Practice: For the purpose of this policy, this includes not only traditional, organized religions but also sincerely held religious, ethical, or moral beliefs or practices. FPOPS will generally assume that a belief or practice is sincerely held.
* Reasonable Accommodation (Individual Services): A reasonable adjustment to FPOPS’s typical program rules, schedule, or environment that enables a individual to observe a sincerely held religious belief or practice, where feasible and without undue burden or fundamental alteration of services. Examples might include, but are not limited to:
* Dietary Adjustments: Reasonable efforts to accommodate specific religious dietary restrictions (e.g., providing information on alternative food options, allowing for personal food preparation within program guidelines).
* Prayer/Worship Space: Access to quiet, designated areas for prayer or meditation during appropriate times, if available and not disruptive to other individuals.
* Attire: Permitting religious attire or accessories within safety guidelines.
* Schedule Adjustments: Flexibility for attendance at important religious observances outside FPOPS facilities, provided it aligns with program curfews, responsibilities, and safety protocols.
* Personal Religious Items: Allowing possession of personal religious items that do not pose a safety risk or violate program rules.
* Undue Burden / Fundamental Alteration: An accommodation that would cause significant difficulty or expense, compromise the safety of others, fundamentally change the nature of FPOPS’s program (e.g., ability to provide shelter or case management effectively), or significantly disrupt the experience of other individuals.
6. Requesting a Religious Accommodation
6.1. How to Make a Request
* A individual who requires an adjustment related to a sincerely held religious belief or practice should discuss their needs with their Case Manager or a Program Director.
* Requests can be made verbally or in writing.
* The individual should ideally include:
* A statement that an accommodation is being requested due to a sincerely held religious belief or practice.
* A description of the specific religious belief or practice requiring accommodation.
* An explanation of how the belief or practice conflicts with a program rule or service.
* A description of the specific accommodation being sought.
6.2. Discussion of Belief/Practice (If Required)
* FPOPS will generally assume that a religious belief or practice is sincerely held. However, in rare instances where there is an objective basis for questioning the sincerity, FPOPS may engage in a respectful discussion to better understand the belief or practice and the requested accommodation.
7. Review and Discussion Process
Upon receiving a request for accommodation, FPOPS will engage in a prompt and good-faith discussion with the individual:
1. Acknowledge Receipt: FPOPS will acknowledge receipt of the request.
2. Information Gathering: The Case Manager/Program Director will meet with the individual to discuss the request, the nature of the religious belief or practice, and the conflict with program requirements.
3. Explore Options: FPOPS and the individual will explore potential reasonable accommodations. This may involve discussing various options, considering the individual’s suggestions, and identifying alternative solutions that would resolve the conflict while maintaining program integrity and safety.
4. Evaluate Feasibility and Impact: FPOPS will evaluate whether a proposed accommodation is feasible, effective, and would not pose an undue burden, fundamentally alter services, or create a direct threat to the health or safety of any individual.
5. Decision and Communication: FPOPS will make a decision regarding the accommodation request and communicate the decision to the individual in a timely manner. If a request cannot be granted, the reason will be provided, explaining why the accommodation is not feasible or would create an undue burden.
8. Implementation and Monitoring
* Once a religious accommodation is approved, FPOPS will implement it promptly.
* FPOPS may periodically review the effectiveness of the accommodation and adjust it if circumstances change for the individual or the program.
9. Confidentiality
All information related to religious accommodation requests will be treated with appropriate confidentiality. Details will be shared only on a “need-to-know” basis to facilitate the accommodation, in accordance with FPOPS’s Confidentiality Policy.
10. Non-Retaliation
Family Promise of Puget Sound strictly prohibits any form of retaliation against a individual for requesting a religious accommodation in good faith or participating in the discussion process. Any staff member or volunteer found to have engaged in retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment1 or service.
11. Relationship to Anti-Discrimination Policy
This policy complements and is to be read in conjunction with FPOPS’s Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy, which affirms FPOPS’s broader commitment to preventing discrimination based on religion and other protected characteristics in its service delivery.
12. Responsibilities
* Individuals: Responsible for clearly communicating their sincerely held religious beliefs or practices and the requested accommodation, and cooperating in the discussion process.
* Case Managers/Program Directors: Responsible for receiving requests, engaging in good-faith discussions with individuals, exploring potential accommodations, and communicating decisions.
* CEO: Overall responsibility for ensuring the spirit of this policy is upheld, making final decisions on complex requests, and ensuring consistent application.
13. Policy Review and Revision
This policy will be reviewed annually by the CEO and Board of Directors, or more frequently as needed, to ensure its continued effectiveness and alignment with FPOPS’s mission, best practices for individual-centered services, and relevant guidelines. Any revisions will be communicated to all relevant personnel and individuals.