Reasonable Accomodations for Religious Purposes - Friday Prayers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just spoke to my supervisor about the new OPM guidance. I don’t have to provide any details. I simply have to state in my request that for genuinely held religious reasons I desire to pray during regular breaks on Fridays. I requested a Friday telework accommodation for a “time-specific religious practice” and that was it.

My boss said the memo basically shifts the burden to agencies to establish solid reasons for denying such requests. They can’t question the religion (it can be anything, even yoga with a spiritual bent), the practice (it can be anything, as long as it’s characterized by the employee as prayer or practice), or the length of employee’s commitment to the religion (I could have adopted it yesterday).

The only way to deny is to document how and why teleworking imposes “undue hardship” on the agency. Scott Kapur of OPM wrote the memo and he’s also the force behind the new policy that allows employees to try to convert colleagues during working hours.

Requests for a specific accommodation (ie telework) can be denied if the agency can effectively accommodate through other means. Eg like what the PP said above about offering 4-10s as an accommodation instead of telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have any Muslims successfully applied for an RA to attend Friday (Jummah) prayers? I’m a child of 9/11 and have spent my entire career trying to fly under the radar as a Muslim. I never say why I’m off for Eid, I don’t tell anyone I’m fasting unless I have to, no one knows I pray in my office. However, I’m at the point where being a fed sucks so bad, why not seek out this one accommodation and attend Friday prayers at my mosque every single week? I am worried about perceptions but I know I have a reputation for being hard working and capable.

Has anyone else thought about it or applied for it?

In the 1 case I know about involving Friday prayers, and this was before the pandemic, the only accommodation granted was to work first 4 days each week at 9 working hours plus working 7am-11am on Fridays.

(On weeks with a Monday holiday, the employee had to work the extra hour by staying late one day to work 10 hours. Building usually did not open until 7am so 6-11 Friday was disallowed.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have any Muslims successfully applied for an RA to attend Friday (Jummah) prayers? I’m a child of 9/11 and have spent my entire career trying to fly under the radar as a Muslim. I never say why I’m off for Eid, I don’t tell anyone I’m fasting unless I have to, no one knows I pray in my office. However, I’m at the point where being a fed sucks so bad, why not seek out this one accommodation and attend Friday prayers at my mosque every single week? I am worried about perceptions but I know I have a reputation for being hard working and capable.

Has anyone else thought about it or applied for it?

In the 1 case I know about involving Friday prayers, and this was before the pandemic, the only accommodation granted was to work first 4 days each week at 9 working hours plus working 7am-11am on Fridays.

(On weeks with a Monday holiday, the employee had to work the extra hour by staying late one day to work 10 hours. Building usually did not open until 7am so 6-11 Friday was disallowed.)

Right now supervisors have no idea if they will be fired for denying religious RA requests so are liberally granting them. The OPM memo lists quite a few examples of telework accomodations, including Friday prayers. If a supervisor tries to stick that person with a 4x10 schedule instead they will have to justify it vs following the memo. Then what happens if it turns out their employee is a MAGA Baptist? Fired under the EO protecting Christians from discrimination.

[Anonymous]

The above poster gets it. Everything changed with Kapur in charge. Any supervisor who denies a telework request (the memo specifically links time-specific prayer to telework) and tries to force a 4-10 schedule instead is NOT carrying out this administration’s mission.

[Anonymous]

I am a Sun Worshiper. Sun worship is a religious practice that venerates the sun as a deity or a powerful symbol of life, vitality, and renewal, found in various cultures throughout history.

I requested Fridays and Mondays off to practice my religion at the Beach during June, July and August.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Sun Worshiper. Sun worship is a religious practice that venerates the sun as a deity or a powerful symbol of life, vitality, and renewal, found in various cultures throughout history.

I requested Fridays and Mondays off to practice my religion at the Beach during June, July and August.

Granted. Just remember you still need to clock 8 hours on those days. Don’t get sand in your laptop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Sun Worshiper. Sun worship is a religious practice that venerates the sun as a deity or a powerful symbol of life, vitality, and renewal, found in various cultures throughout history.

I requested Fridays and Mondays off to practice my religion at the Beach during June, July and August.

You chose poorly if you're looking for telework. You ask for entire days off they will just do religious comp or have you make up the hours in office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Sun Worshiper. Sun worship is a religious practice that venerates the sun as a deity or a powerful symbol of life, vitality, and renewal, found in various cultures throughout history.

I requested Fridays and Mondays off to practice my religion at the Beach during June, July and August.

I am also a Sun Worshipper who actually lives at the beach. I practice my religion within the workday where I take my lunch break to complete my worship. No one knows, I do not advertise this or seek accommodations. Occasionally, I will pop some PTO for holidays where the sun is especially gorgeous and bright.

[Anonymous]

How did your ancestors practice here in America during the day in their respective jobs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did your ancestors practice here in America during the day in their respective jobs?

Having ancestors who lived in America is not a requirement for any job. Having ancestors who practiced the same religion is not a requirement for any religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have any Muslims successfully applied for an RA to attend Friday (Jummah) prayers? I’m a child of 9/11 and have spent my entire career trying to fly under the radar as a Muslim. I never say why I’m off for Eid, I don’t tell anyone I’m fasting unless I have to, no one knows I pray in my office. However, I’m at the point where being a fed sucks so bad, why not seek out this one accommodation and attend Friday prayers at my mosque every single week? I am worried about perceptions but I know I have a reputation for being hard working and capable.

Has anyone else thought about it or applied for it?

Why you need to do on only fridays ask for every day ? Everyday 10 times.. you believe you are entitled to have it… they way you guys play victim is hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have any Muslims successfully applied for an RA to attend Friday (Jummah) prayers? I’m a child of 9/11 and have spent my entire career trying to fly under the radar as a Muslim. I never say why I’m off for Eid, I don’t tell anyone I’m fasting unless I have to, no one knows I pray in my office. However, I’m at the point where being a fed sucks so bad, why not seek out this one accommodation and attend Friday prayers at my mosque every single week? I am worried about perceptions but I know I have a reputation for being hard working and capable.

Has anyone else thought about it or applied for it?

Why you need to do on only fridays ask for every day ? Everyday 10 times.. you believe you are entitled to have it… they way you guys play victim is hilarious.

I agree the OP should just ask for daily prayer telework rather than just Friday but it's not playing victim to use Trump's policy to allow prayer at home while working. That attitude would likely get PP fired for opposing Trump's policy initiatives.

[Anonymous]

Given the obscene way this administration treats federal workers, I will unabashedly play every available card in my hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just spoke to my supervisor about the new OPM guidance. I don’t have to provide any details. I simply have to state in my request that for genuinely held religious reasons I desire to pray during regular breaks on Fridays. I requested a Friday telework accommodation for a “time-specific religious practice” and that was it.

My boss said the memo basically shifts the burden to agencies to establish solid reasons for denying such requests. They can’t question the religion (it can be anything, even yoga with a spiritual bent), the practice (it can be anything, as long as it’s characterized by the employee as prayer or practice), or the length of employee’s commitment to the religion (I could have adopted it yesterday).

The only way to deny is to document how and why teleworking imposes “undue hardship” on the agency. Scott Kapur of OPM wrote the memo and he’s also the force behind the new policy that allows employees to try to convert colleagues during working hours.

I have a religious objection to being proselytized. Can I get a telework accommodation to avoid these people?

[Anonymous]

I know 3 people at my agency who recently got approves for telework on Fridays to go to Mosque near their homes. They take religious leave and make up the hour another day of the week.