Overview

• The Office of Personnel Management’s “Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace” memo was sent to all federal agencies by Director Scott Kupor on July 28 and takes effect immediately.
• Under the guidance, employees may display personal religious items at their desks, hold off-duty group prayers and engage in non-harassing discussions to persuade coworkers of their beliefs.
• Agencies are instructed to review and amend internal rules to protect religious expression to the greatest extent possible unless doing so creates an undue operational hardship.
• The directive builds on President Trump’s February executive orders targeting anti-Christian bias, the establishment of the White House Faith Office and earlier OPM guidance on accommodations for fasting and prayer schedules.
• Critics contend the policy blurs church-state separation and favors Christianity, and some legal experts anticipate court challenges despite First Amendment and Title VII safeguards.