Faith-Based Employment Anyone?

[Nbadan]

Los Angeles Times
House OKs Bill on Faith-Based Jobs
By Justin Dickerson Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday approved a job-training bill that would allow faith-based organizations receiving federal funds to consider a person's religious beliefs in making employment decisions.

Under current law, religious groups that receive federal money for job-training programs must obey civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring or firing.

Passage of the bill, on a largely party-line vote of 224-200, came a day after President Bush (news - web sites) told a group of religious leaders that he would attempt to institute the faith-based employment policies through an executive order if Congress did not approve them this year.

con't:Yahoo News (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=4&u=/latimests/20050303/ts_latimes/houseoksbillonfaithbasedjobs)

Hey, does anyone remember that country, America?

It used to at least pretend to be a democracy? I think they even had civil rights at one time. The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Whatever happened to it?

[exstatic]

Under current law, religious groups that receive federal money for job-training programs must obey civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring or firing.

And that is how it should be. There are always strings that come with federal money. Anybody remember the colleges that were threatened with losing Federal money if they didn't allow Armed Forces and CIA/FBI/etc recruiters on campus? Same thing.

[Hook Dem]

And that is how it should be. There are always strings that come with federal money. Anybody remember the colleges that were threatened with losing Federal money if they didn't allow Armed Forces and CIA/FBI/etc recruiters on campus? Same thing.
I can't believe I'm agreeing with you. :rolleyes

[Guru of Nothing]

For an extra chunk of cheese, I'll believe in the Easter Bunny too.

EDIT to add: FUCK, FUCK, FUCK. Shoot me; I just replied to a nbadan post without figuring out just where the fuck he stole the context of the article he quoted. Suddenly I have a hankering for rosary beads.

[Jekka]

The job I'm currently at had a lot of faith-based questions on the application - even though they aren't a faith-related organization in the least. Then again, I also had to take an IQ test for them and a physical and a drug test and jump through hoops. In all seriousness though, there were questions on some of the tests I took that had "would you rather play a round of golf or listen to a really great sermon on Sunday morning?" and "I believe in Creation over the theory of evolution." I don't know if they actually used that information in determining employment, but I was under the impression that was not appropriate territory.

[exstatic]

I don't know if they actually used that information in determining employment, but I was under the impression that was not appropriate territory.

Jekka, is it a public corporation, or a small private entity? Realisitcally, even asking things like marital status is an HR no no of major proportions in trying to fill a position.

[Jekka]

Jekka, is it a public corporation, or a small private entity? Realisitcally, even asking things like marital status is an HR no no of major proportions in trying to fill a position.

It's Liberto Specialty/Rico's (yes, the company with the cheese guy), so it's a pretty big company - we've got offices in several cities and export internationally. The questions took me by surprise - I just answered them the way I figured they wanted me to - but it was an incredibly Christian-biased sexist testing thing they had me do.

[Opinionater]

It's Liberto Specialty/Rico's (yes, the company with the cheese guy), so it's a pretty big company - we've got offices in several cities and export internationally. The questions took me by surprise - I just answered them the way I figured they wanted me to - but it was an incredibly Christian-biased sexist testing thing they had me do.

IMHO, it sounds like you didn't answer the questions "honestly".

[Goliadnative]

If you look at Section 703(e)(1) of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, it does make provisions for hiring based on religion.

http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civilr19.htm

[sbsquared]

With faith-based organizations, usually the religious affiliation is of the utmost importance. Why in the world would they want to hire someone who's beliefs go completely contrary to theirs? Doing something like that could very possibly undermine the organization. They should be able to hire people who are like-minded.

[Spurminator]

I don't know where I fall on this issue. To me, as long as all faiths have equal opportunity to CREATE a federally-funded organization then they should also be able to hire as they see fit. But I'm open to any arguments about why that is flawed.

[Useruser666]

If a company does things you don't like, don't work for them and don't buy from them. If they're discriminating, then that is wrong.

[exstatic]

sbsquared, no one is arguing the points as you state them, but you completely left a very important variable out of the equation: federal funds. With those funds come a lot of attached laws and regulations.

[Nbadan]

I don't know where I fall on this issue. To me, as long as all faiths have equal opportunity to CREATE a federally-funded organization then they should also be able to hire as they see fit. But I'm open to any arguments about why that is flawed.

So then you'd federally fund my idea - Satanists Leg Hot Wax!

[Spurminator]

Satanists Leg Hot Wax

Hey, if you're providing a public service that warrants public funding, by all means... submit your application.