Though there are over 3 million Hindu Americans, holidays and festivals in the Hindu Dharmas do not yet benefit from widespread recognition at a national level primarily because they lack the requisite educational and policy support. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is working to change that and we believe that support from individuals (like you!) is essential to that effort. Using requests to observe Hindu holidays and festivals provides a great opportunity to educate those who have not been previously exposed to the Hindu religion and spread awareness of these practices.
This page provides information that can be used by Hindu employees to request religious accommodation so that they can fully celebrate and observe religious holidays or festivals. Hindu spiritual traditions are very much a function of “practice” – they are often transmitted through the celebration of festivals, and it takes repetition over years to learn the nuanced ceremonies and stories associated with each holiday. This is complicated by the fact that each family can have their own version of those traditions and ceremonies. Ultimately, Hindu families celebrate and pass on their Dharmic traditions to the next generation through the celebration of these festivals and related ceremonies. The opportunity to observe your religious festivals or holidays is indispensable to the free exercise of your religion. Consistent with that principle, we provide these resources to help Hindu employees observe their religious beliefs through the celebration of holidays and festivals.
Below, we discuss an example where religious accommodation should be requested and provide a template letter that can be used to request accommodation for religious holidays or festivals. You should edit the final letter to accurately reflect your needs and religious practices. For reference, HAF maintains a calendar and detailed information on commonly celebrated Hindu holidays and festivals. We also have resources that provide an overview of religious accommodations and include detailed guidance on how to request them.
Example
A Hindu employee is asked to deliver a presentation for an important client on the same day that she will be observing Karwa Chauth by fasting all day and preparing to celebrate breaking her fast later that night. Because of this religious holiday where she will be fasting, the Hindu employee can request an accommodation to reschedule her client meeting for a day that she is not fasting so she can effectively deliver her presentation. The employee may also wish to request the whole day off to fast and prepare for Karwa Chauth, or she may know from prior years that she will be able to perform her normal work for the day even if she cannot make the important presentation, and then go home in the evening to celebrate the festival by breaking the fast with her friends and family.
Important Note: Each workplace will have different policies on how employees are able to use time off (paid or unpaid), available leave(s), and flexible work. If you have paid time off or other paid leave, many employers require you to use that time off before providing unpaid time off or flexible work arrangements. Depending on your workplace or location, you may also have access to different types of leave (sick, parental, family, medical, bereavement, etc.). Make sure to review and understand those workplace policies before you discuss options with your manager or Human Resources department.
Sample Letter
Please make sure to fill out the form on the side so that the letter is automatically populated with your information.
