How can I support my Muslim colleagues who are fasting during Ramadan? Is it OK to ask them questions? Working with Muslim colleagues over the years, I have been inspired by the discipline and resilience of those who fast...more
It's worth a read. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently released a proposed Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace, and it's quite good. Don't let the length intimidate you. If you aren't an...more
Question: Do employers need to provide a space for employees to worship and/or pray in the office? Answer: The short answer is: Maybe. Employers must reasonably accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious, ethical,...more
Public school districts across the country face an October 1 deadline to certify they do not prevent constitutionally protected prayer — or else they could lose federal funding. The certification is an annual exercise,...more
Dear Littler: I’m an HR representative at an advertising agency based in New York City. We have a question about a religiously vocal employee. Recently she has made her opinions on homosexuality known to her entire...more
The widely reported Supreme Court case Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, No. 21-418 (S. Ct. June 27, 2022) warrants all the attention it has been getting. The Court’s penalty flag against the local Washington school...more
Over the last year, our society has navigated COVID-19 and rules concerning vaccination and masking. As a society and on this blog, we have discussed regularly the role religious freedoms play in the work environment—under...more
Q: Two of my employees are in conflict over one’s display of a star of David in her workspace. Hannah is Jewish. Like many employees, she displays some personal items in her workspace; she has a small Star of David sculpture....more
The EEOC recently released a draft of its updated guidance on religious discrimination, which – if adopted and finalized – could alter the legal standards applied in workplace disputes for the nation’s employers generally and...more
Is it just me, or has JLo and Shakira’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl received more attention than the game itself? As with so many other issues these days, we are a country divided. Some believe the performance was...more
Staffing Company Refused to Accommodate Rastafarian Employee's Dreadlocks, Federal Agency Charged - ORLANDO, Fla. - An Orlando staffing company dedicated to Central Florida's massive hospitality industry will pay $30,000...more
Timely Topics - The death of U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia will have an uncertain effect on religious institutions. Justice Scalia delivered the majority opinion in Employment Div. v. Smith, 494 U.S...more
On October 5, 2015, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts heard argument in Trapp v. Commissioner of the Department of Corrections, SJC-11863. At issue is whether RLUIPA (and the Massachusetts Constitution) recognize...more