ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2008 > July > 02
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
When diversity clashes with morality in the workplace
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After the recent California Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriages in the state, a number of county clerk employees responsible for officiating weddings refused to perform that duty for same-sex couples based upon moral or religious grounds. Their supervisors have stated these employees will be reassigned, as they can’t choose to only conduct heterosexual weddings. In this L.A. Times story, we see that some wedding vendors are opting out of a good paying gig based upon their opposition to gay marriage.
In light of the Atlanta Pride Festival this weekend, we thought we’d tackle this touchy subject. The California gay marriage ruling clearly illustrates there are situations in which an employee feels their moral convictions are being violated. How much should the employer be responsible for trying to weave together the diverse backgrounds of its staff members?
How important are your moral or spiritual beliefs when it comes to your career? Can you separate the two and work with others you find morally objectionable or would you pass up a good job opportunity because you could not work effectively with openly gay employees or serve openly gay customers? On the flip side, if a co-worker or a place where you do business objected to your sexual orientation, what would you do?
