Location: Rockland County, NY
I work for a Jewish company and all Jewish employees get (all of a lot of) Jewish holidays off, paid. Non Jewish employees do not get the same privileges, or even an option to take that time.
My (non Jewish) coworker booked a vacation coincidentally on a holiday where the Jewish workers had two paid days off. My coworker had to use his acquired PTO and a floating holiday, whereas the Jewish workers got to keep their acquired days.
Moral of the story, Jewish workers are getting paid time off for being Jewish. Is there anything that can be done about this?
Comments
Are you getting paid time off for your religious holidays?
My understanding is that employers are legally required to reasonably accommodate religious practices, including time off for religious holidays. What those employees are getting is really none of your business.
If you aren’t getting time off for your religious holidays, then that’s a problem, but they’re under no obligation to provide you paid time off for someone else’s religious holidays that you don’t observe.
It’s only discrimination if they do not give you the same treatment for your religion’s holidays. If you observe Christmas or Easter or etc. and you let your boss know with advanced notice that you will require those days off since they are your religious holidays, they will hopefully give you PTO. For those days. I’d even clarify to make sure they will.
If they say they won’t accommodate you, make sure to tell them you believe you’re being treated unequally and potentially discriminated against. Try to work it out with your employer first, and then take legal action if they refuse to budge. The number of family owned businesses is very quickly disappearing and being replaced with mega corporations who are starting to raise their prices due to a lack of competition. If they’re willing to work with you and do the right thing, then that is the way. If not, go the legal route.