This CAIR Ramadan civil rights primer gives you the information you need to take full advantage of this blessed month. Please share it with your family and friends to ensure they too are empowered to assert their rights!
In the Workplace
You are entitled to prayer and iftar breaks and to take time off for Eid, so long as the request is reasonable and does not cause an undue hardship to the employer. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in particular section 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(j), allows an employee to take time off from work for religious observance, so long as he or she gives the employer adequate notice and the employee’s absence does not cause an undue hardship to the employer. Where an employer is exempt from federal law, they may nonetheless be subject to they may be nonetheless be subject to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
Here are some best practices on how to request religious accommodation at work:
- Follow your employer’s policies when requesting an accommodation. Before making your request, review your employer’s handbook and follow any procedures stated in the employee handbook regarding notification and requesting time off.
- It is necessary you make clear that the reason you are requesting the accommodation is because of a religious belief or practice.
- Keep a personal record of when and how your request was made and whether and how it was accommodated.
- Be respectful when requesting an accommodation. Refrain from reciting the law, in the first instance, as most employers are willing to work with you to accommodate your requests for salat, iftar breaks, and Eid time off.
- If your reasonable requests for prayer and iftar breaks and/or Eid are not accommodated, please contact us by completing this form online.
At School
Students should be accommodated for prayers, iftars and Eid. Requests for these accommodations should be made in writing.
For more information, please read Know Your Rights As A Muslim Youth at School and An Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices.
If you have any concerns or questions, please complete this incident report form or call us at 916-441-6269.
Lastly, please keep the CAIR-SV/CC board, staff, interns and volunteers in your duas during these blessed days.
Sincerely,
Your CAIR-SV/CC Family
PS: Need help with a civil rights case? Fill out this form.