White House Orders Federal Agencies to Protect Religious Expression in the Workplace

New guidance from OPM allows federal employees to display religious items, pray in groups, and discuss faith, with few restrictions.

A Veterans Affairs doctor may now pray with patients, and a park ranger may lead public prayer during a tour—according to newly issued federal guidance aimed at protecting religious expression across the government workforce.

On July 28, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memorandum directing all federal agencies to protect religious expression among employees to the fullest extent permitted by law. The guidance follows two executive orders signed by President Trump earlier this year: Executive Order 14202, Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias (Feb. 6, 2025), and Executive Order 14291, Establishment of the Religious Liberty Commission (May 1, 2025).

Memo link: https://chcoc.gov/sites/default/files/Guidance%20on%20Religious%20Expression%20in%20Federal%20Workplace%207-28-2025.pdf

The memo, signed by OPM Director Scott Kupor, emphasizes that federal employees must be allowed to display religious items, wear religious attire, engage in religious discussions, and organize or join group prayers during breaks or off-duty time—even in shared spaces. These rights, it states, are protected by the First Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as interpreted in recent court decisions.

“Title VII does not demand mere neutrality with regard to religious practices,” the memo quotes from the Supreme Court’s decision in Abercrombie & Fitch v. EEOC (2015). “It gives them favored treatment.” It also cites Groff v. DeJoy (2023), which held that a coworker’s personal discomfort with religious practices is not sufficient grounds for limiting religious expression under the “undue hardship” standard.

Among the examples provided in the memo’s appendix:

• A receptionist may pray in a public waiting area.

• A supervisor may invite employees to a church service via a handwritten note.

• An employee may attempt to persuade a colleague about religious beliefs during a break, so long as the conversation is not harassing.

• Employees may wear religious jewelry or display scripture verses at their desks.

Supervisors are not excluded. The memo affirms that managers retain the same rights as other employees to engage in private religious expression, provided it is not coercive and does not occur during official duties.

There are limits. Employees may not substitute religious activity for official job responsibilities while on duty. Speech made as part of an employee’s official responsibilities is not protected under the First Amendment, following Garcetti v. Ceballos (2006).

Agencies are instructed to review and revise personnel policies to comply with the new guidance and to implement protections consistent with the memo.

Appendix 1 of the memo includes more than a dozen specific examples of conduct now explicitly permitted, including religious conversations, displays, prayers, and invitations to services. The guidance is to be read in conjunction with the July 16, 2025, OPM memo on reasonable religious accommodations.

While the memo builds on existing law, its tone and breadth mark a clear shift in federal workplace culture.

What Does the Memo Actually Do?

This policy makes one central point clear: federal employees can express their faith at work more freely than some previously believed. That includes wearing religious clothing, praying with colleagues during breaks, or even discussing their beliefs—so long as they’re not harassing others or interfering with job duties.

This doesn’t mean agencies have to let employees stop working to pray on the clock. It does mean they can’t ban prayer or religious displays just because someone might find them uncomfortable. For example, a Bible on a desk or a conversation about church is now treated just like a photo of a pet or a conversation about a sports team.

What’s especially notable is the inclusion of supervisors. In most workplace settings, supervisors have to be careful not to pressure subordinates. The memo says they still can’t coerce anyone, but they can invite people to religious events and talk about their faith on equal footing with others—as long as participation stays voluntary.

Finally, the memo encourages agencies to review their policies and make changes to ensure compliance. It doesn’t require new laws or regulations, but it pushes federal offices to adopt a very broad view of what religious liberty looks like in day-to-day work environments.

Agencies are expected to revise internal rules and procedures in the coming weeks. No legal challenges have yet been filed. Questions about implementation are being directed to OPM.

Tags: religious liberty, federal workplace, religious accommodation, OPM memo, Title VII protections