Federal officials are reminded by the Trump administration that they can evangelize within their workplaces
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a new memorandum to federal agencies, aiming to restore constitutional freedoms for federal workers. This is the second such memo on religious freedom this month, under President Trump's leadership.
According to the OPM guidance, federal employees can now practice their religious practices without fear of retaliation. They can seek to persuade others of their religious views, provided that efforts to do so are not harassing in nature.
The new policy allows federal workers to hold prayer circles with members of the public, and a Veterans Affairs Department doctor may pray over a patient. Rangers in the National Park Service leading a public tour can join the group in prayer, and federal employees can display religious items such as bibles, artwork, jewelry, posters, crosses, crucifixes, and mezuzahs in the workplace.
Supervisors are also allowed to post invitations to church on agency bulletin boards. Agencies are encouraged to review their religious freedom policies to ensure they are in compliance with the new OPM guidance.
The Trump administration expects federal agencies to robustly protect and enforce every employee's right to freely engage in religious expression in the federal workplace. This includes preventing federal employees from being discriminated against for their religious beliefs or practices.
In his first public memo since winning Senate confirmation, Kupor, the head of OPM, encouraged agencies to adopt a "generous approach" for federal workers requesting telework and other workplace flexibilities due to religious observances.
The leaders of the federal agencies directed by the Trump cabinet have been instructed to realign their religious freedom policies to allow federal employees to practice their religious beliefs at work without fear of retaliation. This is in line with the executive orders issued by the Trump administration, requiring these agency heads to implement such policy changes.
The OPM's new guidance aims to prevent federal employees from being discriminated against for their religious beliefs or practices. An example of the new policy is that an employee can discuss their religious beliefs with a colleague during a break. Intervention in displays or proselytizing should only occur when specific complaints are received and not based on hypothetical or potential concerns.
All agencies and employers must allow staff to practice their religion to the greatest extent possible, unless it would impose an undue hardship on business operations, as affirmed in the 2023 Supreme Court case Groff v. DeJoy.
This new policy is a significant step towards upholding the constitutional rights of federal workers and fostering a more inclusive and diverse federal workforce.
