Can you believe Ramadan is almost over, and Eid Al-Fitr is just around the corner? This year, Eid will most likely fall on Friday, April 21—a weekday. For those of us with work or school, it can be challenging to celebrate Eid when it falls on a weekday. The good news is that California law generally allows you to request time off from work or school for religious holidays, and you are protected against retaliation.
We know it can be intimidating to ask your boss or your school for time off, so we’ve created two downloadable templates* you can fill out and send to them.
- 2023 Eid Religious Accommodation Request Template – Employment
- 2023 Eid Religious Accommodation Request Template – K-12
WHAT IF MY REQUEST GETS DENIED?
Federal and state law generally protect a Muslim’s right to practice religion at work and school. However, this right is not absolute and depends on several factors. Although your school/employer is generally required to provide reasonable accommodations, you may not receive the exact accommodation you are requesting. They may even deny the request completely. If either of these things happen, call our legal team at (408) 986-9874. They can provide you with additional support so that you can take full advantage of this holy time, insha’Allah.
What is a Reasonable Accommodation?
Reasonable accommodation is one that eliminates the employee’s conflict between his or her religious practices and work requirements and that does not cause undue hardship for the employer. This means that the employer cannot unequivocally refuse to make a religious accommodation, but rather the employer must engage in a good-faith interactive process to resolve the conflict between your religious needs and the job’s requirements.
*This template letter is not intended to give legal advice, but rather general legal information and serve as a general resource. No attorney-client relationship is created by using the templates. You should consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.