Know Your Rights at Work and School This Ramadan
This Ramadan, we want to provide our community with all the information they will need regarding their rights at work and school. In order to immerse yourself fully into this blessed month, our Civil Rights team has provided downloadable accommodation letters for you to use.
Whether you need to request time off for Eid, take a short break so you can break your fast, change shifts so you don’t miss taraweeh, or skip P.E. for the month, we’ve got you covered.
Please share these letters with your family and friends to ensure they, too, can benefit.
Your Rights at Work
While it might seem intimidating to request accommodation at work or at school, remember that you have a right to practice your religion and there are laws that ensure you can exercise this right.
California law requires that an employer reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs or practices unless doing so would create an undue burden in conducting business. Some common accommodations that you are entitled to during Ramadan include:
- Flexible scheduling to allow for Jummah, Iftar, and Taraweeh
- Shift substitutions or swaps
- Job reassignments
- Modification of workplace policies (schedule, attire, etc.)
As you submit your requests for accommodation, please keep in mind that you will need to submit the request to the appropriate parties as soon as possible, make sure your request is in writing, and ensure that you are familiar with your companies’ procedures regarding religious accommodations.
You can request this in writing by filling out the accommodation request template here.
Your Rights at School
Students have a right to be accommodated during Ramadan and can be excused from strenuous activities or to be excused from lunch to go to the library or take a nap during the lunch break.
Parents are encouraged to contact their children’s schools and teachers in advance and in writing to request religious accommodations for their children during Ramadan and Eid. Schools cannot penalize students for missing a day for religious holidays.
You can request this in writing by filling out the accommodation request template here.
What if My Request Gets Denied?
Federal and state law generally protect a Muslim’s right to practice religion at work and at 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, make sure to contact our legal team. They can provide you with additional support so that you can take full advantage of this holy month, insha’Allah.
What Is Reasonable Accommodation?
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.