Expert: Ed Buckner - 10/16/2007

Question
I've looked around the internet but do not find this situation addressed:  I work in a private company and the owner has very strong religious beliefs (always has).  In the past year, he has begun incorporating them in the company and to our clients.  For example, on our business cards and as part of the "signature" embedded on emails.  This makes me uncomfortable.  Do I have a right (legally or ethically) to have separate business cards printed, or to request a modified email?  Does Freedom OF Religion also mean Freedom FROM Religion?
Thanks in advance,


Answer
Dear Heather,

In my personal opinion, freedom of religion is meaningless unless it includes--for those of us who want it--freedom from religion. I doubt, however, that the law would protect you from a private religious employer who insisted on religious associations for the business.

You certainly have the right, under the First Amendment, to express disagreement with the employer's religious views--but he may very well be within his rights to fire you if he thinks you are harming his business.

This probably varies from state to state, and I'm not a lawyer, so there may be more protection available to you than I know. It is at least possible that you do have the right to eliminate religious references in business e-mails you send out. You should probably get in touch with an attorney knowledgeable about your state's employee protection laws--and the local ACLU or Americans United for Separation of Church and State--or possibly the Freedom From Religion Foundation--might give you more positive news than I have, or some help.

Another possibility, but only one with slight chance of success, would be to appeal to the owner to quit using religion to sell what he's selling. I think, though he's not too likely to agree, that doing what he does violates the spirit of Matthew 6:5-6, in which Jesus allegedly commands followers to not be hypocrites, bandying their religion about on the street, but instead to pray privately.

If you have the ability to do so, I'd suggest switching jobs as one way to avoid this.

Good luck and regards,

Ed Buckner