News
Bless this mess
Anyone who has seen the movie The Exorcist will tell you that they have been witness to some of the more memorable scenes in motion picture history. A picture of a girl rotating her head through 360 degrees - and spitting green bile across a bedroom - are some of the more haunting images of this horror movie.
I am sure that all of us have, from time to time, sworn that one of our workmate's behaviour can only be explained by him or her being possessed by the devil. It is, however, probably less likely that any one of us has actually thought to take steps to perform an exorcism on one of our colleagues.
Before I am accused of being farfetched, I should hasten to clarify that facts of this nature were involved in a recent case considered by the Complaints Division of the Human Rights Commission. A woman said that she had resigned from her job because of what she described as "imposed religious belief". She said that a senior colleague believed her to be possessed and that, as a result, she had been forced to receive a blessing at work. The woman said that following the blessing she did not feel comfortable in her workplace and that, as a result, she resigned.
The Complaints Division accepted that the woman had been given an opportunity to withdraw from the blessing - but that she had declined this opportunity because of the fear that she would lose her job if she did not go through with the ceremony. In the event, the complaint was settled by the employer offering to pay the woman $3,000, together with providing an assurance that it was aware of its responsibilities under the Human Rights legislation.
While many New Zealanders may regard this as an intriguing outcome - borne out of unusual circumstances - the employer might regard itself as getting off lightly by international standards.
In a recent case in Fort Worth, Texas, a jury awarded US$300,000 to a woman who said that members of her church had subjected her to an exorcism against her will.
The ceremony had involved what was described as "a bizarre night" in which church members anointed themselves with holy oil, rapped on pieces of furniture and propped a chair against the church doors to keep demons out. The woman, who said that she was actually suffering from a mental disorder, said the experience had led her to mutilate herself and to attempt suicide. In contrast, members of the church said that they had only intended to help the woman by their actions. In any event, the jury found favour with the woman's version of events.
These cases - though seemingly based on unusual circumstances - serve to highlight what is sometimes a difficult balance for employers who hold religious beliefs.
On one hand, it is acceptable for an organisation to proclaim that it has certain beliefs, and for it to adhere to those principles in the way that it runs its business. On the other hand, however, it is unacceptable for an organisation to force its employees to be subject to those beliefs - including, in the extreme, subjecting an employee to a religious ceremony such as an exorcism.
An employer undoubtedly hopes that none of its employees will turn up at work spitting bile and revolving their heads. If an employee does, however, an employer would be well advised to seek his or her consent before calling the exorcist.
