Respecting Religious Holidays in the Workplace

Recognizing and respecting the diverse religious customs celebrated by employees is a key part of inclusion. Whether through granting holiday time off or finding other ways to accommodate these traditions, employers have an important role in promoting inclusivity while balancing operational needs.

Providing time off for religious holidays not only recognizes these traditions but also sends a powerful message of respect and belonging. This acknowledgment helps employees feel supported and allows them to thrive within the organization.

However, the logistics of honoring all religious holidays can pose challenges for employers. With dozens of religious observances a year across different faiths, it may not be possible to grant time off to their entire employee population for every holiday. Furthermore, employers may need to schedule essential activities or meetings on days that coincide with a religious holiday. Even in such scenarios, there are ways to deliver on these responsibilities while still prioritizing an inclusive approach.

For times when it is not possible or practicable to allow a holiday observance for the entire staff, employers can create flexible solutions, such as allowing employees to apply for additional paid time off (PTO). Such a measure reflects a commitment to inclusivity and ensures that religious traditions are honored without compromising organizational responsibilities.

Member Resource: Add link to Toolkit Navigating Religious Beliefs in the Workplace 

Understanding Your Workforce’s Holiday Needs

Employers must start by gauging the specific religious and cultural landscape within their workplace. When deciding which holidays to grant as paid days off, it’s important to consider the most widely practiced traditions among employees. Conducting anonymous surveys or holding open discussions with employees can help identify which religious observances matter to your staff. This data provides a foundation for making thoughtful and fair decisions.

Additionally, employers should think beyond their workforce and assess the needs of external stakeholders, such as clients, partners, or vendors. For instance, if a large portion of a company’s client base observes specific holidays, being sensitive to this can enhance external relationships and brand reputation. It’s important to evaluate operational requirements while striving to meet the expectations of both internal and external stakeholders.

Open and transparent communication is vital to this process. By discussing scheduling needs and religious observances with employees, organizations can foster mutual trust and respect. Including employees in the decision-making process also enables companies to strike a balance between honoring traditions and meeting business requirements.

“If every company were to say, ‘We’re going to shut down for every holiday that’s out there,’ then most companies wouldn’t have many days of work in the year,” said Nick Schacht, SHRM-SCP, chief commercial officer at SHRM. “What are the most-celebrated holidays in your organization and your society? Understand your workforce and its needs and go from there.”

Inclusive PTO Considerations

Even with careful planning, it may not be feasible for employers to recognize every religious holiday companywide. This is where flexible PTO policies come into play. Allowing employees to request additional PTO for religious observances can provide a solution that respects individual needs.

Employers can offer an allowance for additional PTO specifically for religious celebrations, in addition to the standard vacation and sick leave. Employers may have to grant these requests judiciously to enable employees access to the time they need to observe their traditions while also considering operational needs.

“Employers might consider allowing their employees a set number of ‘floating holidays’ — days they can take off in addition to their leave allowance — which they can use to celebrate any days they wish to observe,” Schacht said.  

Member Resource: Link to Religious Accommodation Policy 

However, organizations must follow inclusive procedures and forgo stereotypes in these situations. Employers should grant all employees the ability to request time off for any holiday, regardless of their demographic, to avoid violating anti-discrimination law. Doing so also acknowledges that making assumptions about employees and their observances is a roadblock to true inclusion. 

“You have to make that open to everybody,” Schacht said of floating holidays. “You can’t say that only some employees, based on their protected characteristics, can take off for a certain holiday. You cannot discriminate or say, ‘This holiday is only open to certain groups of people,’ disproportionately denying the opportunity to take time off to others.”

Even after trying to balance individuals’ needs with business objectives, companies may still find themselves in situations where they are unable to grant employees additional PTO for holiday observances. 

“Sometimes, employees will need to continue working on holidays because critical work needs to be done,” Schacht said. “Nevertheless, the diversity in our society is ever-increasing. To succeed in attracting a strong workforce in the future, companies must be increasingly inclusive.”

To that end, organizations should provide a safe and accessible way for employees to report religious discrimination and other forms of bias. Doing this underscores the importance of maintaining inclusion within your workplace culture.