OPM Urges Generous Approach to Telework Requests for Religious Reasons

The Trump Administration is encouraging workers with religious accommodations to telework on certain days, even as it orders the vast majority of the federal workforce to report on-site five days a week. 

In guidance, new Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor writes that federal agencies should encourage telework when it comes to honoring religious accommodation requests from employees. Such requests include Sabbath observances, fasting, prayers, or other obligations. 

“Telework can enable employees to fulfill religious duties without compromising agency missions,” wrote OPM Director Kupor, noting the administration is urging a “generous approach to approving religious accommodations.”

OPM says the guidance complies with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Groff v. DeJoy, which found that employers must grant religious accommodation unless doing so would create an “undue hardship.” 

Religious organizations were quick to hail the policy update that some worked with OPM on crafting.  “We worked closely with OPM on this policy, and we appreciate that it has been issued now, about two months before Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and the other holy days that will be observed in the fall. This gives federal workers who are observant Jews plenty of time to work with their supervisors and plan their work schedules and accommodations,” said Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center (OUA). 

In the memo, Director Kupor says telework is “often a low-cost solution that aligns with the Groff standard, as on a limited basis, it typically does not impose substantial operational burdens. 

However, the employee must have a written telework agreement and agencies must do their due diligence before approving the telework. 

“Agencies should assess whether an accommodation imposes a substantial burden on operations . . . Agencies are also reminded that religious accommodations may involve multiple, complementary or hybrid approaches to fully address an employee’s religious needs,” said Director Kupor.  

If telework does not suit, the employee can earn compensatory time off, where they work overtime before or after the observance to cover for hours missed, but without premium pay. 

VA Scrutinizing Telework Requests

The news from OPM comes after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) increased its scrutiny over telework, specifically over workers who are receiving a reasonable accommodation (RA) to work out of the office. 

According to a memo obtained by GovExec, a member of the senior executive service (SES) or SES-equivalent must sign off on an RA request for more than eight weeks of regular or recurring telework or remote work. In addition, RAs without an end date must be reviewed at least once a year. 

VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz says the guidance is to “ensure these accommodations remain necessary, reasonable and effective for both the employee and VA."