Accommodate an Employee's Request to Pray During Working Hours

Key Points

  • Under Title VII and similar state and local laws, an employer may be required to accommodate an employee's request to pray during working hours..
  • Whether an employer is required to grant an employee's request to pray during working hours will depend upon whether the request is based on a religious belief, whether the belief is sincerely held, and whether granting the request will create an undue hardship for the employer and/or co-workers.
  • After receiving a request for time to pray during working hours, an employer should engage in an interactive process and a good faith discussion with the employee regarding the requested accommodation to evaluate whether the employer is able to grant the request.
  • The employer should make sure to properly document the interactive process and keep a record of all communications.

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