Find resources to help you connect with fellow believers in your workplace.
Resources for Religious Freedom in the Federal Workplace
Federal employees may organize and participate in religious gatherings in their workplace during non-duty hours, including before or after work, during lunch, and on breaks to the same extent employees are allowed to organize and participate in other non-work-related gatherings. Agencies may not discriminate against religious gatherings in the use of space or resources. If any group is permitted to use meeting rooms, email, or announcement resources for non-work-related activities, religious groups must be allowed the same access.
Generally, if conversation around any topic not directly work-related is appropriate or permitted, the federal government may not restrict religious discussions. Religious discussion (like other discussions) could become unlawful harassment if it is unwelcome by a coworker and sufficiently severe or pervasive enough to create a subjective and objective hostile or abusive work environment for that coworker. But mere subjective offense or disagreement with unpopular religious beliefs by coworkers is not sufficient to rise to the level of unlawful harassment.
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Guidance currently in effect regarding religious freedom in the federal workplace.
—2025 July OPM Memo Guidance on Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace
—OMB July 28 Guidance on Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace
—2025 February Executive Order Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias
—2025 May Executive Order Establishment of the Religious Liberty Commission
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Cases on religious freedom in the federal workplace
—Federal-Sector EEO Cases Involving Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity
—Groff v. DeJoy, 600 U.S. 447 (2023)
—McDaniel v. Paty, at al., 435 US 618 (1978) - 1st Amendment
—Meriwether v. Hartop - 6th Cir - 2021
—National Railroad Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 536 US 101 (2002) - ''Hostile Work Environment''
—Torcaso v. Watkins, Clerk (367 US 488, 1960) - ''No religious test'' case
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Previous policy decisions impacting religious freedom in the federal workplace.
—State Dept. Response to Sen. Budd's ltr. on transgender & pronoun issues.pdf
—10.20.23-Budd-Letter-to-Blinken-on-Updated-Guidance1
—OPM Press Release, dtd. 3-31-23, announcing release of updated gender identity inclusion guidance
—WH Fact Sheet on DEIA EO (6-25-21)
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Get legal assistance on religious freedom issues
— Alliance Defending Freedom Request Legal Help
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