The administration of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued new guidelines to safeguard the right of federal employees to express their religion in the workplace, including the exhibition of religious images in the desks, voluntary conversations and prayer.
The new guidelinesissued by the director of the United States Personnel Administration Office, Scott Kupor, were sent to the heads of all federal departments and agencies on Monday, July 28. The objective of the guide is to clarify the protections of religious freedom guaranteed in the first amendment and already enshrined in the federal law.
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“Federal employees should never have to choose between their faith and their career,” Kupor said In a statement. “This guide ensures that the federal workplace not only complies with the law, but also cozy for Americans of all religions. Under the leadership of President Trump, we are restoring constitutional freedoms and making government a place where people of faith are respected, not marginalized.”
Michael Ross, Legal Advisor of Alliance Defending Freedom, praised the memorandum in a statement to shared with CNA – Ewtn News English, saying that “no American should have to leave his faith at the door when he enters the workplace.”
“We are grateful for the leadership of President Trump by reaffirming the right of each federal employee to exercise their religious beliefs at work to the maximum measure allowed by law,” he said. “This is a fundamental step to restore a work culture that respects and promotes religious freedom for all Americans.”
Protected religious expressions
The Federal Guide clarifies the protections of religious freedom in five specific categories: exhibition and use of objects for religious purposes, expressions by groups of federal employees, conversations between federal employees, expressions aimed at members of the public and expressions in areas accessible to the public.
For the first category, the guide establishes that employees can exhibit and use religious objects in their desks, in their person and in the assigned workplaces. This applies to a variety of objects, such as Bibles, Rosaries, jewels, works of art, crosses and Mezuzás.
The second category guarantees that federal employees can “participate in individual or community religious expressions in formal and informal environments, alone or with other employees,” when they are not service.
On the conversations between employees, the guide establishes that a person “can participate in conversations on religious issues.” This includes voluntary conversations that seek to “persuade others about the correction of their own religious beliefs,” provided they are not a stalker nature.
The protection of religious conversations also extends to an employee encouraged a partner to participate in prayer or other expressions of faith “to the same extent that it would be allowed to encourage colleagues to participate in other personal activities.” An employee cannot be sanctioned in any way for not wanting to participate.
When interacting with public members as a private person – always that the employee is not making a statement as part of his official functions – his religious expression should not “be suppressed,” according to the guide. It is claimed that constitutional rights “are not limited by the place or by the listener.”
In addition, the guide establishes that religious expressions, when carried out in the personal quality of the employee, are allowed “in areas accessible to the public”. It is indicated that such religious expressions must “be treated in the same way as if these expressions were made in areas inaccessible to the public.”
Examples of protected activities
The guidelines offer the heads of federal departments and agencies several examples of religious expressions that are protected.
In an example, it is pointed out that an employee could have a Bible on his desk to read during breaks or an employee could have a rosary on his desk to pray during breaks. Employees can use crosses or another garment that shows a religious message.
The guidelines explain that a group of employees could form a prayer group or a group to study the Bible or other religious texts in the office, provided they are not service. According to the guide, employees should be allowed to use empty conferences rooms for such activities.
An employee can participate in an “educated discussion about why his faith is correct and why the non -believer should reconsider his religious beliefs”, invite a partner to the Church or place an announcement that promotes a religious service. However, conversations must be voluntary. If a partner does not want to continue the conversation, “the employee must respect the application.”
Other protected activities that are listed include a ranger that directs a tour of a national park by joining a group in prayer or a doctor praying for the recovery of their patient. A security guard would also be allowed to exhibit a crucifix, among many other protected activities.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Tyler Arnold
Tyler Arnold is a reporter of the National Catholic Register. He previously worked at The Center Square and has published in various media, including The Associated Press, National Review, The American Conservative and The Federalist.