RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN THE FEDERAL WORKPLACE
Summary of President Clinton's Guidelines
President Clinton announced Guidelines on Freedom of Religious
Expression in the Federal Workplace on August 14, 1997. The
Guidelines purport to clarify three things:
- that Federal employees may engage in personal religious expression
to the greatest extent
- consistent with workplace efficiency and the requirements of law;
- that Federal employers may not discriminate in employment on the
basis of religion; and
- that an agency must reasonably accommodate employees' religious expression
to the greatest extent
- consistent with workplace efficiency and the requirements of law;
- that Federal employers may not discriminate in employment on the
basis of religion; and
- that an agency must reasonably accommodate employees' religious
practices.
The Guidelines:
- principally address religious exercise and expression by Federal
employees acting in their personal capacity and not as officials of
the Government;
- are not meant to be comprehensive;
- do not address religious expression or exercise by uniformed military
personnel;
- are new and will go through a period of application and further clarification;
- and are subject to modification according to agency practice.
The Guidelines do not nullify agency policies prohibiting discrimination
based on sexual orientation and have no effect on an agency's
responsibility to maintain a workplace free of discrimination based
on religion or sexual orientation (under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, respectively).
The Guidelines generally PERMIT Federal employees to:
- engage in private religious expression in personal work areas
(not in public view), e.g.,display religious art and keep religious
writings at the employee's desk (may be read during breaks);
- discuss religious views with other employees, including
proselytizing (but see restriction
below);
- wear religious garb or display religious messages on items of
clothing to the extent other such messages are allowed;
- wear visible religious tokens, medallions, or buttons;
- invite coworkers to religious services or observances (but see
restriction below) or post bulletins on public boards announcing
such services or observances; and
- gather on their own time for prayer or religious study in unused
rooms.
The Guidelines generally PROHIBIT Federal employees from:
- proselytizing when a fellow employee asks that it stop or otherwise
demonstrates that such religious expression is unwelcome;
- using religious expression to verbally attack other employees or a
specific employee;
- coercing other employees to participate or refrain from participating in
religious services or observances; or
- subjecting other employees to religious harassment in the form of
religiously discriminatory intimidation or pervasive or severe ridicule or
insult based on religion.
Full text of "Guidelines on Religious Freedom in the Federal Workplace" is available at the White House web site.
www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/html/19970819-3275.html