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What religion is this: Light Candles for the Dead every Friday...?
I work in HR. One of our employees sadly lost his mother recently. He is now requesting that he be able to leave every Friday at 1PM because his religion requires him to light a candle every Friday for one year. I have no reason to not believe he's telling the truth, but working in HR I like to confirm everything. I've had people give me very odd and frequently untrue stories to justify special accomadations, So i just need to make sure. I was managing a store once and my assistant manager kept leaving early almost every day claiming his mother who was sick with cancer needed his help with something. His mother did have Cancer but he was not going to help her. Social media made it clear he was going skateboarding, meeting up with friends or buying new video games consoles instead. Still can't believe he used his mom's illness for that. but anyways...I just want to identify which religion this is without prying into his personal life so I can look it up. Then I will absolutly allow him to do this. It creates a burden for his supervisor. I also woudl have no problem with him, stepping away from work and lighting candles instead of having to go home. As long as it's done safely. if ithat's an option. Thanks for your help. I tried googling it but I keep coming up with a thing in the jewish religion about a once a year candle lighting, not every Friday for one year.
Side note: he's from Russia originally so that might speak to a regional practice for his religion.
While I'm enjoying the religious discussion, especially from the pastafarian, I'm in HR and the law is that we make reasonable accomadations for a person's religion. And I believe the religion has to be one that has tax exemption, otherwise anyone can say "I am the only member of this religion, it's called Danielism and our religion states that we get every Thursday off and it must be paid". If the law deems it a legitimate religion they give it tax exemption then we must make certain accomadations. Like we must allow a Jewish person to take off certain holidays (we don't have to pay them but we must allow the time off) or we have a religious muslim who needs to step away at certain times of day with their prayer rug, we have to allow for that. Otherwise it'd discrimination under the law. Opinions about religion have to be put aside to follow state law.
6 Answers
- Anonymous7 years agoFavorite Answer
Start training up this person's replacement, they are scamming you. If they are being paid for the time they are gone, get someone onto watching where this person goes.
And why does it take hours upon hours to strike a match and light a candle?
And where the heck does this person work, that they can simply leave work if they have a religious consideration they would like to indulge?
I want pasta, now. Flying Sphaghetti Monster requires that I internalize It's Holy Substance so that I might Grow Closer. I need two hours at Olive Garden, cover me.
- Mark S, JPAALv 77 years ago
For a year after death, a child is required to say Kaddish (the prayer for the dead) in Judaism. A yahrzeit candle is lit on the anniversary of the death and for each of the first 7 days after death; I'm not aware of the necessity for lighting a candle every week but it could well be. If the employee is very observant, he will have to do this before sundown every Friday.
- ?Lv 47 years ago
He could be any religion. It doesn't matter if you're a christian or muslim or hindu etc. If the person believes that lighting candles every friday helps her "spiritual" mother somehow it could be any religion or maybe just his belief that her spirit needs that. Or yes he might use it as an excuse.
- gregLv 67 years ago
sounds more like someone just wants off early every friday
perhaps i will request every friday off because my religion requires me to go fishing on days that start with an F
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- Scarborough FairLv 77 years ago
How convenient to get every Friday afternoon off. Catholics often light candles for those they pray for. We don't have to leave work early to do that.
