Rep. Edolphus “Ed” Towns (NY-10) today announced his strong support as a co-sponsor of H.R.1431, the “Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2007.”  This legislation would direct employers to accommodate the religious needs of their employees.

In 1972, the Civil Rights Act was amended to require employers to “reasonably accommodate” the religious needs of their employees so long as doing so did not impose an “undue hardship”.  What evolved, however, was the federal court’s redefinition of “undue hardship” to include even the most minimal inconvenience to the employer.  Successive court rulings have left the bill eviscerated of its original intent and Americans without meaningful legal recourse.

The “Workplace Religious Freedom Act” amends the original Civil Rights Act of 1964, ensuring that employers must “initiate and engage in an affirmative and bona fide effort” to accommodate the religious beliefs and practices of their employees. 

“The proposed legislation promotes the freedom of religious observance, a core component of America’s identity,” Congressman Towns said. “It protects Americans from unfair employer practices, which unjustly force them to choose between their personal livelihood and the convictions of their faith.”

The “Workplace Religious Freedom Act” does not restrict the applicability of the bill to certain religious practices such as time off for holy days.  So long as the practices do not “have a temporary or tangential impact on the ability to perform job functions”, or present significant hardship on the employer, the law would direct the employer to provide accommodations regarding head coverings, beards, dress, and scheduling conflicts such as Sabbath and holiday observance.

“A well-reasoned consensus on religious accommodations in the workplace is in the interests of both employee and employer”, the Congressman said.  “This is an important bill that protects and expands upon previous legislation in providing for a religiously-sensitive work environment.”

Editors Note: Towns represents the 10th Congressional District of New York, encompassing the neighborhoods of East New York, Canarsie, Brownsville, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Cypress Hills, Clinton Hill, Mill Basin, Midwood, downtown Brooklyn, Boreum Hill, as well as parts of Fort Greene and Williamsburg.