In a decisive reaffirmation of faith and freedom, President Donald Trump’s newly appointed head of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Scott Kupor, this week issued sweeping guidance to ensure no federal employee must ever choose between their religious convictions and their government service.
A Strong, Faith-First Directive
Within days of taking the reins at OPM, Kupor sent a memo to every Cabinet-level agency head, instructing them to “adopt a generous approach to approving religious accommodations, prioritizing employee needs while maintaining operational efficiency.”
Drawing on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Groff v. DeJoy, Kupor made clear that reasonable accommodations—like telework for Sabbath observance, flexible schedules for prayer services, and paid or unpaid leave for religious holidays—must be granted unless agencies can show a substantial increased cost to operations.
“No federal employee should be forced to choose between their faith and their federal service,” Kupor wrote. “This guidance ensures agencies meet their legal obligations and treat these requests with the seriousness they deserve.”
He reminded agency directors that Groff clarified “employers are required to demonstrate substantial increased costs to deny a reasonable religious accommodation request”—setting a high bar for any unjustified refusal.
Trump’s Executive Order in Action
Kupor’s memo flows directly from President Trump’s May executive order declaring it “the policy of the executive branch to vigorously enforce the historic and robust protections for religious liberty enshrined in Federal law.” That order positioned religious freedom as a top priority and directed every agency to end “any form of religious discrimination by the Federal Government.”
In his statement to Fox News Digital, Kupor underscored another key benefit:
“It is in the interest of the Federal government to recruit and retain highly-qualified employees of faith,” he said. “Religious liberty is foundational.”
Real-World Impact for Faithful Patriots
For the hundreds of thousands of career civil servants who attend weekly worship services, observe dietary laws, or mark holy days across diverse faiths, this guidance delivers real relief:
- Telework and Flex Schedules: Allowing employees to work remotely or adjust hours around religious observances without penalty.
- Religious Compensatory Time Off: Granting make-up hours instead of forcing workers to exhaust vacation or sick leave.
- Protected Leave Options: Ensuring paid and unpaid leave for faith-based needs is treated as a protected request under law.
As Pastor Robert Jeffress told Fox’s Fox Report, the new OPM direction “protects the right of every public servant to honor their beliefs without fear of workplace retaliation.”
A Model for the Nation
This faith-friendly policy not only safeguards conscience rights but also serves as a powerful recruitment tool. Kupor emphasized that a workforce unburdened by religious conflict can deliver better, more dedicated service to the American people.
With federal agencies now charged to “adopt a generous approach” and prioritize religious accommodations, the Trump administration has delivered on its promise: strengthening the First Amendment by ensuring that, in the halls of government, believers and nonbelievers alike can serve side by side in mutual respect.