Are PRIVATE employers allowed to proselytize to their NON- religious employees? (church, quotes)
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I have a family member who took a job at a private clinic a few months ago. A few days into orientation, she told me that someone handed her a book on Scientology and at first, we thought that was a just a one off and that was a personal thing so we just laughed at the gesture and the book was promptly tossed. However, as the orientation went on, it became evident that the business implemented Scientology principles into their training.
I visited the office and I noticed there were plaques with quotes from Ron L. Hubbard and my relative would tell me that there would be certain words and phrases that were used and others were prohibited. Two of the interesting ones were "yawning" and "duplicate" and this came to my attention when another family member went there for a job. She did not get the job because she did not do a good job "duplicating." I was, like, "huh???"
I decided to look up the word in context of scientology and found out that it is a key word in that religion, if it can be called that. "Duplicate" in scientology supposedly means to make a "perfect copy," but in reality, it means, "to agree with," which essentially is the foundation for further brainwashing. They seem to seek people who are not into questioning and who do not seem bored (yawning) in their orientation because "yawning" means you are bored and "bored" in scientology is a "skip gradient" which is considered a "barrier" to learning (READ: learning the precepts of scientology).
Just this past weekend, she was sent on a out of state seminar, supposedly "work related" only to get there to find out that it was really a seminar to teach implementation of scientology principles into her work ethics. She loves WHAT she does, but the idea of the employer subtly trying to slip scientology into the environment is really getting to her and me and I want to raise a stink and even help her pursue a lawsuit, but does she have any grounds if it is a private company? Yes, she is seeking employment elsewhere, but other jobs are not so easy to come by so it is like she has to grin and bear it in the meantime. There are other matters such as having no lunch break (an actual "get up and go out to lunch break) where employees are not paid (a right in her state) and a few other things, but that's another issue.
NOTE: Keep in mind that unlike other religious institutions, they advertise as a medical clinic so you go there thinking you are working in the medical field and NOT in a religious environment.
It shouldn't matter that it's a privately owned company, but regardless of how the company is organized the (il)legality of this is probably dependent on exactly how the training is presented and implemented and whether the company has a history of dismissing people based on actual valid performance criteria or based on non-subscription to some "woo".
When you think about it, companies often hire consultants who push secular meditation, positive affirmation, or interpersonal skills and coping methods based on questionable (non-)science. Such a company can't fire you for not meditating, or being too morose, or not being well-liked enough. They can only fire you legally for not performing to a clear job description and job standards as reasonably objectively measured in some way. They have to show customer complaints, insubordination related to the job description, excessive tardiness or non-attendance, or the like.
Then again what this sounds like is similar to how a sexist work culture can have individual actions / remarks / innuendoes that are not provable or actionable but which in aggregate constitute a climate of coercion. Or like a job I had once where my direct report issued an edict that no one who is under him can go home for the night until he does. He was honked off that he was working late after everyone else went home and felt he could impose that on everyone else. Sure he had no basis to force you to work unpaid overtime but it was clear who he would (dis)favor for promotions or raises, claiming the decision was because of something else.
I think this requires appropriate specialist legal counsel.
Is she in L.A.? Scientologists own a lot of businesses near their headquarters in Hollywood. What you described is common in those businesses. I've no idea if it's legal or not but they do it. I avoid those businesses as I've no desire to support that religion and it's tactics. BTW: One way Scientology got a foot-hold in L.A. was by running clinics. No one said Scientology back then (60's) they advertised them as Dianetics clinics.
Last edited by DewDropInn; 10-10-2016 at 11:20 AM..
Thanks, folks. This is a dental clinic in New York.
What is interesting is that at one of their offices, they partnered with another office that used to be on a wealtgy street in the city. The other business was not a scientology haven. Now the folks from THAT side of the company bemoan a loss of customers they used to have, bonuses and other perks. Seems like since the scientologist folks took over, those days are gone.
Yes, I think they file this under "work improvement" by selling it as better ways to improve work performance, but there appears to be ulterior motives.
Thanks, folks. This is a dental clinic in New York.
What is interesting is that at one of their offices, they partnered with another office that used to be on a wealtgy street in the city. The other business was not a scientology haven. Now the folks from THAT side of the company bemoan a loss of customers they used to have, bonuses and other perks. Seems like since the scientologist folks took over, those days are gone.
Yes, I think they file this under "work improvement" by selling it as better ways to improve work performance, but there appears to be ulterior motives.
How does your relative feel about it? If I were them I would start documenting and collecting as much evidence as I could in a discrete manner, and seek legal advice.
NOTE: Keep in mind that unlike other religious institutions, they advertise as a medical clinic so you go there thinking you are working in the medical field and NOT in a religious environment.
This last line, if true, is a real problem. The employee here did not take the job knowing the limits, that seems unfair. And anybody that doesn't yawn, at least once, in an orientation program is a red flag too.
I have a family member who took a job at a private clinic a few months ago. A few days into orientation, she told me that someone handed her a book on Scientology and at first, we thought that was a just a one off and that was a personal thing so we just laughed at the gesture and the book was promptly tossed. However, as the orientation went on, it became evident that the business implemented Scientology principles into their training.
I visited the office and I noticed there were plaques with quotes from Ron L. Hubbard and my relative would tell me that there would be certain words and phrases that were used and others were prohibited. Two of the interesting ones were "yawning" and "duplicate" and this came to my attention when another family member went there for a job. She did not get the job because she did not do a good job "duplicating." I was, like, "huh???"
I decided to look up the word in context of scientology and found out that it is a key word in that religion, if it can be called that. "Duplicate" in scientology supposedly means to make a "perfect copy," but in reality, it means, "to agree with," which essentially is the foundation for further brainwashing. They seem to seek people who are not into questioning and who do not seem bored (yawning) in their orientation because "yawning" means you are bored and "bored" in scientology is a "skip gradient" which is considered a "barrier" to learning (READ: learning the precepts of scientology).
Just this past weekend, she was sent on a out of state seminar, supposedly "work related" only to get there to find out that it was really a seminar to teach implementation of scientology principles into her work ethics. She loves WHAT she does, but the idea of the employer subtly trying to slip scientology into the environment is really getting to her and me and I want to raise a stink and even help her pursue a lawsuit, but does she have any grounds if it is a private company? Yes, she is seeking employment elsewhere, but other jobs are not so easy to come by so it is like she has to grin and bear it in the meantime. There are other matters such as having no lunch break (an actual "get up and go out to lunch break) where employees are not paid (a right in her state) and a few other things, but that's another issue.
NOTE: Keep in mind that unlike other religious institutions, they advertise as a medical clinic so you go there thinking you are working in the medical field and NOT in a religious environment.
On one hand, an employer cannot mandate belief. But an employer CAN mandate how things are done in the workplace. If she doesn't like that, she has the right to quit the job.
On one hand, an employer cannot mandate belief. But an employer CAN mandate how things are done in the workplace. If she doesn't like that, she has the right to quit the job.
Sure, I get that. If she was working at a Seminary, church, Church owned college, Temple or for some other religious organization, I would understand better. What SEEMS to be happening here is that they front as a dental clinic, but slipping in "philosophical" principles to improve work performance or under THAT pretext. The problem is, at least to me, it seems to be they are setting the foundation to prep the mind for Scientology.
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