Christmas is a time of giving and a season to spread holiday cheer. However, not everyone celebrates it, primarily because of religious beliefs.

That then begs a rather interesting question: Can an employee who doesn’t celebrate Christmas be allowed to take time off during the holiday season? This particular issue arose at a workplace when a Muslim employee decided he would go away on Christmas week, something his coworker had a problem with. 

The colleague is now asking the internet whether they are being unreasonable. Scroll down for the entire story. 

Not everyone celebrates Christmas because of differing religious beliefs

Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual photo)

A Muslim employee’s plan to take time off during Christmas week didn’t sit well with one of his colleagues

Image credits: Nicole Michalou (not the actual photo)

The co-worker provided justifications for why they questioned the man’s vacation plans 

Image credits: Username638

There are laws that prohibit any form of religion-based discrimination

Companies want to avoid conflict among employees because of their religion, which led to the enactment of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law protects workers and job applicants from discrimination based on national origin, race, gender, and religious affiliations. 

Since Christmas is widely celebrated worldwide, most organizations offer paid time off around this time. Therefore, even employees who don’t celebrate this holiday get to enjoy the same luxury as those who do. 

Under this law, a company cannot impose religious practices on people with differing beliefs or make attending holiday events mandatory, especially if alcohol is involved. In such cases, employees may sue their employers for discrimination. 

In the story, the man had the right as an employee to use his paid time off whenever he wanted to, regardless of whether he celebrated Christmas. He wasn’t forced to partake in holiday traditions, either. 

Planning ahead is the best way to avoid PTO conflicts during the holiday season

The holiday season means an influx of people wanting to take time off to celebrate with their loved ones. Planning weeks, even months, in advance may help avoid potential conflict. 

Dana Burch, senior counsel for labor relations law firm Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, advises creating a holiday calendar highlighting important dates and sharing it with coworkers. 

Open communication is equally important, especially for vacation-related matters. Burch also reminds employees to coordinate with colleagues to cover essential tasks during their time off. 

“Be proactive, communicate openly, and keep the spirit of the season alive in your workplace,” Burch wrote in an article on LinkedIn. 

The author has no control over their colleague’s decisions and when he wants to take his vacation. However, they do have control over their own schedule, which they could have fixed ahead of time.

Readers had mixed reactions to the story

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