Senator Jacob Javits, Republican, New York, today introduced a bill “to provide time off duty for government employees to comply with religious obligations prescribed by religious denominations of which such employees are bona fide members,” A companion bill to the same effect was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives John Lindsay, Republican and Jonathan Bingham, Democrat of New York.
The bill would provide Federal employees with time off for religious observances on days not recognized as universal religious holidays. Instead of taking time off without pay as is now the case, the employees concerned would be allowed to make up such time by arrangement with the Department or agency concerned. For example, a Jewish employee could exchange work on Christmas day for time off on Yom Kippur.
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