A bill amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide protection to Sabbath observers was signed Friday night in a quiet ceremony by President Nixon it was reported today by the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA). Howard Rhine, COLPA president, characterized the new law as “the Magna Carta of religious liberty in America.”
He noted further that “it makes the promise of religious freedom a reality by extending protection to practice as well as belief. No longer will a person be required to choose between his religion and his job.” Thus, a private employer engaged in interstate commerce (one who has 25 or more employes) and all public agencies cannot refuse to hire an applicant for a job merely because religious obligations require the person to deviate from uniform work rules.
The amendment also provides on-the-job protection to observant Jews whose religious practices and beliefs require them to wear religious garb. Such employes cannot be dismissed unless the employer can prove undue hardship. Rhine stated that COLPA would spare no effort to secure compliance by employers with the new law.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
