| As a service to our community, below is a guide on how to ensure that you are provided the opportunity to fulfill religious obligations like fasting, Salah, Jumuah, Eid, Hijab, etc. This information is meant to serve only as a guide to your rights as an employee; not as legal advice. In the event that legal advice is needed, please contact CAIR-FL so that we can connect you with an expert employment law attorney, who has successfully advocated on behalf of our clients, at no cost. An important first step is to familiarize yourself with your rights as an employee, particularly on religious accommodation. To be clear, your employer's handbook is not the authority regarding workplace accommodation and often employer's handbooks do not include appropriate guidelines on religious accommodations. Federal law is the law of the land and it protects religious freedoms in all areas of society including all places of work in the US. However, following your employer's procedures in requesting religious accommodations is often helpful. If your requests for any religious activity including prayer and iftar breaks are not accommodated, please contact CAIR-FL's Civil Rights Department immediately so we can obtain these accommodations quickly and without retaliation, and so we can additionally ensure that your employer's policies are consistent with federal law so other Muslim employees do not experience similar issues. We can be reached via email at info@tampa.cair.com or via phone at (813) 514-1414 . We stand ready to assist. Our services are provided at zero cost to our clients. Did you know that according to federal law, you're entitled to your religious practices including prayer and iftar breaks, and time off for Friday and Eid prayers, as well as Hajj, regardless of your residential status in the US? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and particularly section 42 U.S.C § 2000e(j) allows an employee to take time off for "sincerely held beliefs." Each Muslim person's own 'sincerely held' belief can be different from that of another Muslim person, so there is room for accommodation for people of all religiosity levels. These accommodations include your religious actions including prayers, religious dress to be worn in the work place, schedule changes so your break fits into Maghreb time for iftar, and leave for congregational (Friday or Eid) prayers and Hajj. Title VII also strictly prohibits retaliation by employers against employees for asserting their rights to religious accommodations. Here are some tips on how to request a religious accommodation: - Do follow your employer's procedures when requesting an accommodation. Before making your request, review your employer's policy and follow any procedures stated in the employee manual that addresses when to notify your employer of the required accommodation and the proper procedure to request time off.
- Do make clear that the reason you're requesting the accommodation is because of your religious (not "cultural") belief or practice.
- Do keep a personal written record of when and how your request was made, and whether and how it was accommodated.
- Do follow up verbal requests in writing to ensure a written record is kept.
- Do contact CAIR-FL if you need help if your requests are not granted, or if you would like our office to make the request on your behalf.
Again, these are recommendations for successful religious accommodations requests. If your employer is unwilling to accommodate your request, please contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414 or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff. An initial denial by your employer does not mean you will not be accommodated. CAIR-FL has consistently been able to successfully obtain religious accommodations for Muslims with unwilling employers, by having employers follow federal law, which protects religious freedoms in many areas of society including the workplace. Be confident that you have the right to your religious actions and the experts at CAIR-FL stand ready to help. Again, please feel free to contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414, www.cairflorida.org, or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff. Sincerely, Hassan Shibly, Esq. Executive Director, CAIR-FL Tampa Office |
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