Your Guide to Requesting Prayer Accommodations at Work

Are you struggling with figuring out how to pray during work hours? We have the perfect template you can send to your boss for this! We recommend setting up some time either before or after you send the email just to talk through logistics, with your supervisor.

Did You Know?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in public and private employment and includes protecting the right to reasonable religious accommodations unless it poses an “undue hardship.” 

Prayer Accommodation Template

You can use this template in an email to request religious accommodations for prayer: 

Subject: Request for Prayer Accommodation

Dear [Supervisor Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am reaching out to request religious accommodations to perform my daily prayers in a quiet and private space. My work hours are from [Your Start Time] to [Your End Time], and I need to take short breaks to pray [# of Times] a day. These prayer breaks should take at most fifteen minutes. 

Additionally, I would like to request to leave work on Fridays during [Specify Time] to attend the weekly congregational Jummah prayer at the nearby [Specify Masjid/Islamic Center]. The prayer takes place around lunchtime, and I am more than happy to use my lunch break for this purpose.

As a Muslim, it is imperative that I am able to complete my daily prayers and attend the weekly Friday congregational prayer as part of my held religious beliefs. These breaks will not disrupt my work or the workplace— I will ensure that I schedule my duties around these prayers and complete all my responsibilities in a timely manner. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like more information on how to best provide these accommodations. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Sincerely,

[Your Name]