Writing A Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination

Religious beliefs may exempt you from participating in certain functions or completing certain actions. However, the rules do stipulate that you must make requests for certain accommodations based on your religious beliefs. You cannot, in other words, expect an employer or any other form of organization to guess what your religious beliefs are, and to put the appropriate measures in place. Hence, you will need to write a hardship letter religious accommodation discrimination.

Basics of Writing the Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination

Your letter should be a formal one, addressed to the right person. This is likely to be your HR representative, but do check on that first. Make sure, as well, that the letter does not contain any grammatical or spelling errors.

Starting the Letter

The letter should make it clear that you are requesting reasonable accommodation in view of your religious beliefs. For instance, state that there is a company policy in place that requires you to do certain things that are not acceptable within your religion. Attach a copy of the policy, highlighting the issue at hand. For instance, your company may have a certain dress code that you cannot adhere to, expect you to work on what is classed as a day of rest in your religion, and so on. Make sure that you make it very clear what it is that you cannot comply with and why.

Describe the Teachings of Your Religion That Are Relevant to Your Request

State that you are a practicing member of a certain religion. Explain that, under the doctrine of a certain belief in your religion, you cannot perform certain actions, such as shaving your beard or working on Sundays, for example. Based on that, state that you are now requesting for Reasonable Accommodation to be made within your company. Describe what you expect this “reasonable accommodation” to be. For instance, you may ask for a shift swap, provide a substitute, or ask them to waive the requirement in full.

Legal Aspects of Reasonable Accommodation

You are entitled to make this request, and your employer must make these accommodations based on the law of Equal Employment Opportunity. However, the law does stipulate that the employer only has to conform if the accommodation will not cause the company any undue hardship. Hence, your letter should also explain how your request will only pose a minor burden. State that your request is not costly, inconvenient, or unsafe in any way, and should therefore be granted.

Ending the Letter

Always end a letter by thanking your employer for their kind consideration. Be courteous and professional and show that you are willing to meet your employer halfway. For instance, if you are unable to work on a Sunday, offer to work on a different unpopular shift instead, so that your colleagues are not disproportionately disadvantaged by your request either. A final thing to remember is that, as stated, while it is your right to have these accommodations made where possible, you must formally request them. It is your responsibility to make sure your employer has received the letter, and it is your responsibility to follow it up to make sure that your requested changes have been made.

Hardship Letter Religious Accommodation Discrimination Example

{Your Name}
{Your Address}
{Your Phone #}
{Your Loan #}

{Date}

To Whom It May Concern:

I would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation due to religious belief. According to company policy at {Company Name}, I am required to {participate in function/religious event, follow certain dress codes, work on certain days, work certain hours, etc.}. I would like to request an exception based on my religious beliefs and practices.

I am a practicing member of {Religion}. As such, I am unable to {work on Sunday mornings, shave my beard, etc.}. I request Reasonable Accommodation to have {Company Name} {waive the requirement, provide a substitute, allow shift swap, etc.}.

Under the Equal Employment regulations, I am entitled to accommodations provided that they do not cause undue hardship to the company. As this would cause minimal burden for only minor {rescheduling, uniform changes, etc.}, I believe that such a request would not be unsafe, inconvenient, or costly.

Please let me know your decision at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your consideration and understanding in this matter.

Sincerely,

{Sender Name}

Writing A Hardship Letter Property Repairs

If you own a property, you are responsible for the financial costs required for keeping it in good condition. Unfortunately, there are times where this can cause you to become delinquent on other payments. For instance, you may not be able to pay your mortgage, certain loans, car finance, credit card bills, or any other bill that you may have. If this is the case, you may appeal to the goodwill of your creditors by writing a hardship letter.

Tips for Writing a Hardship Letter Property Repairs

Hardship letters are formal pieces of correspondence and must be treated as such. This means they should be in the right format and addressed to the right person. They should also not contain any grammar or spelling errors, so do have the letter proofread before you send it. Furthermore, these letters should be based on documented facts, and not on your feelings. Keep it short and to the point, sticking to a single page if you can, and attach any documents that prove your statements.

Starting Your Letter

Start your letter by explaining that you have become or about to become delinquent on the payments with the creditor you are writing to, and ask them for some time to help you restore the situation. Explain that you are trying to avoid a certain consequence, such as foreclosure or legal recovery action, and explain what bill you have with the creditor. Make sure that you include your account number and any other identifying information.

Content of the Hardship Letter

State that you have been the owner of the property, including the address, since a certain date. Explain that the property has required a number of repairs since then, which have cost you a significant amount of money. Include copies of documents indicating all of the repairs that have been completed, the cost associated with each. Go on to explain that you will need further funds to finish certain repairs and state the associated expenses. Include when you expect the repairs to be completed.

You then need to include a financial statement that demonstrates that you are unable to pay for the completion of the repairs on your property, while at the same time continuing with your other financial obligations. Include bank statements, copies of bills, and more. State that you have made all possible adjustments, such as cutting down on life’s luxuries and working more hours, in an effort to continue to make all necessary payments.

Ending the Letter

Finally, you should come up with a plan to repay the money that you owe. State when you believe your financial situation will be resolved, and how much you are able to pay until that point. Do not promise to make any payments at all, unless you are actually able to do so. Again, make sure that you have documented proof to demonstrate what you can or can’t pay at the present time, and what you will be able to pay once the repairs have been completed, and when that will be. In so doing, you show the creditor that you are willing to come to a resolution.

Writing A Hardship Letter To Veterans Affairs

If you are a veteran, or surviving relative of a veteran, you may be receiving payments from Veterans Affairs. Unfortunately, they may at times commit some errors, such as overpaying you. It is all too common, in those situations, for recipients not to notice the overpayment and simply spend it, which could leave them in a situation of hardship when Veterans Affairs requests for the return of the said amount. If this has happened to you, then you may want to consider writing them a hardship letter.

Basic Rules for Writing the Hardship Letter

Your hardship letter should be a formal letter. This means that it should be presented properly, addressed to the right person in the right department, and free from grammar and spelling mistakes. It should also include your case number in the subject line, so that it is easy for Veterans Affairs to find your case.

Starting the Letter

Start by providing some personal identifying details such as your name and date of birth, which will allow the reader to check your file. Explain that, on a certain date, you received a letter from the office that stated you had received an overpayment and would now be charged for this. Make sure to include the dates and amounts, and that you attach copies of the letters that you have received. Make it very clear, at this point, what you are requesting, such as a full waiver of the amount, or some sort of payment arrangement. State that, if the amount will be charged, you will find yourself in a situation of extreme financial hardship.

Explaining Your Situation

You must then explain your side regarding the overpayment. For instance, you may have received an overpayment for several months and you have not have been aware of the mistake at all. If this is the case, include evidence to support this through statements from Veterans Affairs highlighting the payments. State that, as you believed the payments to be correct, you have spent the money on certain things, highlighting what those things are. Explain that if you have to repay the total amount that has been overpaid, it will cause you to undergo financial hardship.

Some Advice

With a hardship letter, what matters are the facts not feelings. Hence, avoid describing your emotions. Rather, stick to documented evidence such as receipts, payment stubs, bill payments, bank account statements, and more. These are the documents that will prove that you will suffer financial hardship if you are forced to pay immediately. Explain that the disparity that will be caused by not just a decrease in the payments because you will no longer receive the amount that you have been used to, having to pay back what was overpaid all at once, will be too much for you to handle.

Ending the Letter

End your letter by thanking the Veterans Affairs representative for giving you some time and consideration. Keep photocopies of everything that you have sent, and post the letter through recorded mail. If, after one week you have not received a reply, make sure to follow up.

Hardship Letter To Veterans Affairs Example

{Your Name}
{Your Address}
{Your Phone #}
{Your Loan #}

{Date}

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is {Name} and my case number is {number}. On {date}, I received a letter from Veterans Affairs notifying me that I had been overpaid and was being charged {monetary amount}. I would like to request a waiver based on extreme financial hardship.

I received the notice of overpayment and subsequent charges on {date}. However, the amount charged to me was paid as part of my benefits over the last {amount of time}. I have already spent the money on {necessary expenses}. If I am forced to pay back the amount, I will be forced to {consequences}.

I am attaching my payment stubs, receipts, {additional documentation of mortgage, medical bills, etc.} and bank account information to prove the full extent of my hardship. I will not be able to cope with a disparity this large in my finances.

Please consider the difficult situation that these circumstances have put me in when reviewing my case. Thank you for your consideration and understanding.

Sincerely,

{Sender Name}

Writing A Hardship Letter To Utility Company

If you have found yourself in some sort of financial difficulty or hardship, it can become very hard or even impossible to pay your bills on time. One of the bills that may be affected would be for the utility companies. If you are in hardship and you have just received your quarterly adjustment, you may find it even more difficult to make your payments, particularly if you find yourself in debt. Should this happen, it may be tempting to simply not pay your bills, but you will only end up having your utility service disconnected. It is better, therefore, to write a hardship letter to the utility company, explaining what is going on and asking for a reprieve.

When Writing a Hardship Letter to Utility Company

This type of letter must be a formal letter that is properly addressed to the right person, in the right format. It should also be free from spelling and grammatical errors, and you must make sure that it is dated. Make sure to also have it proofread.

Identify Yourself and Explain Why You Are in Hardship

Start your letter by explaining who you are and your address, including your account number with the utility company. Next, tell them that you are aware of the fact that you have been delinquent in your payments and that you have received notice that your service will soon be disconnected. Apologize for the situation that you are in and explain that you are requesting for some leniency because you are currently experiencing severe financial hardship. You must also explain why you are in hardship, and how, if applicable, a utility disconnection will affect you and your family. For instance, you or someone you care about may be extremely ill and having the service disconnected could mean that this will prevent proper storage of medicines.

Attach Any Documentation to Prove Your Claims

You must indicate that the hardship you are experiencing made you unable to pay for your utility bills. Attach any proof that you have in relation to this, including proof of income, receipts, bills, payments you have already made, and more. Do also include, if applicable, doctors’ or specialists’ letters that confirm that you are in the current situation and, specifically, that there is a direct need for a continuation of the utility service in order to maintain proper care.

Describe How You Plan to Remedy the Situation

Finally, propose a solution to the problem. While it is not always known how long a hardship situation will last, it is common to have a reasonable estimate. You may, for instance, be making reasonable adjustments so that you can protect your income or put care in place for an elderly person. Make sure to inform the utility company when you expect to be able to make payments again, and you must be realistic in that. Also tell them how much you are able to pay at present, even if that is only $1 a month, and how you propose to make up for the shortfall once your situation has improved.

Remember that the utility company is not interested in your feelings. Rather, they want to hear the facts and how you aim to resolve your problems. In so doing, you stand a better chance of having your request granted.

Hardship Letter To Utility Company Example

{Your Name}
{Your Address}
{Your Phone #}

{Date}

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is {Name} and I reside at {address}. I am writing because {Utility Company} is planning to suspend the {gas/electricity/water/etc.} at my residence due to lack of payment. I am requesting leniency due to severe financial hardship, and because a member of the household is extremely ill and requires utilities.

I am currently unable to pay the utilities’ fee due to {reason}. I am attaching proof of income, bills, receipts, and other payments to this document. I am also including a doctor’s note from {Doctor} verifying that {Ill Person}, a resident of this house, is extremely ill and requires utilities for proper care.

Please consider our situation. I sincerely appreciate your understanding and assistance in this matter. Thank you.

Sincerely,

{Sender Name}