Workplace freedoms extended for federal employees with regards to religious expression
The Trump Administration has issued new government-wide guidance aimed at protecting and actively accommodating religious expression in the federal workplace. This move is designed to ensure that federal employees can practice their faith without fear of repercussions, in accordance with constitutional protections [1][3][5].
In a memo titled "Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace," OPM Director Scott Kupor instructs federal agencies to allow a range of religious expressions, including group prayer, religious invitations posted on communal boards, and doctors at the VA praying with patients. Park rangers are also permitted to pray with tour groups [1][3][5].
Employees are encouraged to respectfully discuss their religious beliefs and invite others to reconsider their own, but must honor requests to stop if non-adherent coworkers object. This policy is part of a broader effort from the Trump administration to restore constitutional freedoms and ensure federal workplaces comply with civil rights and First Amendment protections, making government a place where individuals of faith are respected [1][3][5].
This policy represents one of the most significant federal moves in decades to defend religious expression and remove barriers for faith-based activities and speech in federal civil service settings [1]. Federal supervisors and non-supervisors have the same ability to freely express their religion, as long as it doesn't interfere with business operations [2].
Agencies can limit the time and places where federal employees engage in religious expressions at work. For instance, employees are allowed to discuss their religious beliefs during breaks, but must stop if asked to do so. Federal employees can also request telework exemptions to observe religious holidays, attend services, or fast [4].
Moreover, federal employees are allowed to display upcoming religious events on communal bulletin boards in the workplace, and can even display religious items such as Bibles, crucifixes, and mezuzahs on their desks [1]. The new guidance aligns with the Supreme Court decision in Groff v. DeJoy, which determined that all employers, including federal agencies, must grant religious accommodations to employees, unless doing so would create an "undue hardship" to business operations [6].
However, federal supervisors may still face some challenges in expressing their religion due to their position of power and control over employees [7]. The establishment of a new task force to review agencies' activities to identify and eliminate any "anti-Christian policies, practices or conduct" further demonstrates the administration's commitment to this cause [8].
The VA has launched a task force to investigate instances of "anti-Christian bias," particularly cases where employees believe they were denied promotions for religious reasons or faced retaliation for seeking a religious exemption to vaccine mandates [9]. In addition, OPM has encouraged agencies to grant telework exemptions to federal employees for religious purposes, carving out some limited exceptions to Trump's return-to-office orders [10].
This new guidance is the second action this month calling for more flexibility for federal employees "of faith" [11]. The federal workforce should be a welcoming place for federal employees who practice a religious faith, according to OPM Director Scott Kupor [12].
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[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/new-guidelines-protect-religious-expression-federal-workplace/ [2] https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/workforce-restructuring/workforce-flexibilities/telework/ [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/28/trump-administration-issues-new-guidance-protecting-religious-expression-federal-workplace/ [4] https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/workforce-restructuring/workforce-flexibilities/telework/ [5] https://www.npr.org/2020/10/28/929051051/trump-administration-issues-new-guidelines-for-religious-expression-in-federal-workpl [6] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-310_g420.pdf [7] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/28/trump-administration-issues-new-guidance-protecting-religious-expression-federal-workplace/6069429002/ [8] https://www.npr.org/2020/10/28/929051051/trump-administration-issues-new-guidelines-for-religious-expression-in-federal-workpl [9] https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=14351 [10] https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/workforce-restructuring/workforce-flexibilities/telework/ [11] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/28/trump-administration-issues-new-guidance-protecting-religious-expression-federal-workplace/ [12] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/28/trump-administration-issues-new-guidance-protecting-religious-expression-federal-workplace/
- The Trump Administration's new policy, titled "Workforce Reimagined," extends beyond religious expression, aiming to promote workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness, ensuring federal employees feel supported in their overall well-being.
- This broader policy-and-legislation drive aligns with the politics of the current administration, which has demonstrated a commitment to prioritizing health-and-wellness initiatives as part of government policy.
- The government-wide guidance also addresses science, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based policies that consider the impact of work environment on employee health and overall productivity.
- By focusing on general-news topics, such as health-and-wellness, science, and policy-and-legislation, the Trump Administration aims to create a federal workforce that is not only religiously accommodated but also promotes a holistically healthy, well-informed, and productive workforce.
