Uh oh here we begin....
>>>In the memo Kupor outlined various activities that should not warrant disciplinary action, noting that federal employees “may engage in conversations regarding religious topics with fellow employees, including attempting to persuade others of the correctness of their own religious views, provided that such efforts are not harassing in nature.”
“Employees may also encourage their co-workers to participate in religious expressions of faith, such as prayer, to the same extent that they would be permitted to encourage co-workers participate in other personal activities,” Kupor stated in the memo.
However, agencies may “reasonably regulate the time, place and manner of all employee speech, provided such regulations do not discriminate based on content or viewpoint (including religious viewpoints),” he added.
The OPM would also not seek to restrict federal employees’ expressions of faith in interactions with the public, such as a national park ranger leading a tour group in prayer, or a doctor with the Department of Veterans Affairs praying over a patient for their recovery, Kupor said in the memo.
While such gestures might make some citizens feel more welcome in federal settings, Camfield said, “it is equally likely to put other citizens off if they believe differently.”
“Citizens who interact with federal workers may end up perceiving themselves to be discriminated against due to the expressed beliefs of federal workers they come in contact with,” Camfield said.
The announcement builds on the Trump administration’s moves to advance faith’s presence in the federal workforce. In February, it issued an
executive order geared toward “Eradicating anti-Christian Bias” and established the White House Faith Office, which aims to bolster the capacity of faith-based organizations’ to “better serve families and communities.”<<<
