Federal workers may share faith at work, new memo says

Federal employees may display religious symbols and talk about their faith at work, according to a Monday memo from the Office of Personnel Management in Washington. Government agencies should allow religious expression in the workplace to the greatest extent possible, according to the memo from the office’s director, Scott Kupor. The memo cited laws, legal cases, and two executive orders from President Donald Trump meant to eliminate anti-Christian bias and establish a religious liberty commission.

The memo gave examples of conduct allowed at work:

• Wearing crosses

• Gathering for prayer during breaks

• Inviting co-workers to church

• Attempting to persuade their co-workers of the truth of their personal religious beliefs, as long as the sharer stops if asked

What about public expressions of faith? The guidelines also noted that government workers are allowed the same level of religious expression in public-facing areas as in private. For instance, a doctor at a Veterans Affairs hospital may pray over his patient, the memo said. The document also clarified that social, political, or economic philosophies don’t fall under the definition of religion.

Has the government issued such guidelines before? The Clinton administration published a similar set of guidelines in 1997, though they included more caveats and more detailed examples. 

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report on an attack on a church in Congo that killed dozens.