I'm a Die Hard Atheist- will I be able to get a job in SLC? (Salt Lake City: sales, mover)

[eprecho]

I's in an area hard hit by the economy. I hear SLC is good for jobs. I also hear if you're not mormon, you will really get screwed. Honestly, will I survive? Or will I just not be able to work because I have no faith?

I'm older and I have no children, not married, and do not intend to do so.

Oh and believe me, it is not possible to convert me to any faith.

Honest answers would be appreciated.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Nobody asked me what, if any, faith I was when I applied for 2 jobs about 7 yrs apart. "they" will figure it out sooner or later but no one really cares in the city. At least, not at larger businesses. Maybe in some small, 2-person office they might care.

[easternerDC]

I am an atheist - I don't go around talking about it, but if someone brings up religion, I share my views. I also have no children - though I am married.

I did not have too much of a problem finding a job - it took longer because i wanted something specific. However, I am in Logan, and not SLC.

Yes, LDS is the prominent religion. Yes, the LDS religion does seem to be part of a LOT of things. YES, there are some LDS who think they are better than others, but at the same time there are non-LDS who have nothing better to do than to bash and ridicule the LDS religion.

By the way, my husband is also an atheist, and he got a job here with no problems.

[markg91359]

Just a note: If anyone ever asks you during a job interview what your religion is and you don't get the job you have a near perfect case for employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

No employer is going to know you are Atheist, unless you insist on volunteering the fact during your job interview.

You may not find the social climate in Utah to your liking, but your religious status should not impact your ability to find a job.

[Mol1112]

Originally Posted by markg91359

Just a note: If anyone ever asks you during a job interview what your religion is and you don't get the job you have a near perfect case for employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. No employer is going to know you are Atheist, unless you insist on volunteering the fact during your job interview. You may not find the social climate in Utah to your liking, but your religious status should not impact your ability to find a job.

HOWEVER, if you apply for work at any of Utah's small businesses.....(companies with fewer than 50 employees) be aware that this is a "Right To Work" state. Which, in essence, means right to fire without cause. They may never admit that you're not being LDS is/was an issue. And they will get away with it.

I had been asked (in a temp agency interview when we arrived 19 years ago) "what would you do if your boss asked to help him with his work as a "bishop". I told her that I would refuse. That apparently was the wrong answer.

My DH - on the other hand - worked for a small audio company (in sales - commission only) and when they found out he was "from Los Angeles" and didn't know the local "mormon speak" ("What Ward are you in?" or "How many children do you have?" -we are childfree) he was chastised by co-workers...and essentially left.

It really wasn't worth our while to sue. You can spend your life in court here. But you're first line of defense is the Utah Industrial Commission - pretty much a complete joke and favors business pretty much every time. They have a backlog of cases and make you wait MONTHS for a decision.

We have taken employers to the commission for not paying promised sales commissions. And when you're commission only - that's slavery. They sided with the bankrupt business owner.

Small time business owners here are both not loyal to their employees nor knowledgeable about the law. And they will skirt the labor law any way they can. And get away with it.

Your best bet in looking for work is to look at the larger companies/businesses that know their necks will be on the line if they screw up.

Labor law has a very long way to go here in Utah...

[Lmejh]

Originally Posted by eprecho

I's in an area hard hit by the economy. I hear SLC is good for jobs. I also hear if you're not mormon, you will really get screwed. Honestly, will I survive? Or will I just not be able to work because I have no faith?

I'm older and I have no children, not married, and do not intend to do so.

Oh and believe me, it is not possible to convert me to any faith.

Honest answers would be appreciated.

No, you've just heard the standard tales of how hard it is making a living in Utah if you're not Mormon. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves - around 60-70% of the entire state (including rural areas) is Mormon and that number is lower in Salt Lake City...what I'm saying is if so much of the population isn't LDS then they must have an okay time living here, eh? So take it from another non-Mormon, you'll do just fine here

[US-Traveller]

You shouldn't have a problem unless you have an out-there personality. If you have a tatooed body and crazy hair you might have a hard time, but if you act like an average person you shouldn't have trouble.

[Tim Tim Tim]

im not lds, found a job the first day I moved here making more money then any job I had in florida doing less work lol

[snowlover7]

Tim3 -- you seem like a real "mover & shaker" LOL! How do I gt a ajobt out there in SLC!!!

It is against the law for an employer to discriminate on someone based on their religious beliefs.

[johnrex62]

It will depend entirely on who you go to work for. It will be extremely unlikely to be brought up in the interview, but it will become known after the fact.

I have a friend that was hired by a company here in Texas, that turned out to a family owned and operated chain. The family was LDS and it soon was common knowledge that my friend was the only non-LDS employee in his office. This is not a hotbed of LDS businesses here, and there are not thousands of LDS unemployed in the area, but that did not prevent the office manager from finding some very nitpicky faults with my friend that lead to his dismissal after 7 months of employement.

My friend was fairly young and somewhat immature for his age, but was a competent worker. I worked with him at the same company for 3 years previously and can attest to his abilities. He was very capable of handling the tasks he was given at this company and his personality, though somewhat childish, was very easy going and amiable.

I do not believe that there was any legitimate reason to fire him other than his lack of common faith ( he was a christian but not LDS), but Texas is also a right to work state and they legally did not need to have any reason to fire him.

It is very likely that you can find a position in an LDS oriented company and not face this type of treatment, but it probably slightly more likely to occur than in this environment than in a less homogeneous environment simply due to human nature.

I wish you well.