Ramadan Starts Soon: Considerations for Employers

Quick Hits

• Employers may need to provide religious accommodations to Muslim workers during the month of Ramadan.
• Ramadan will begin on the evening of February 28, 2025, or March 1, 2025, depending on the moon.
• Ramadan will end on the evening of March 29, 2025, or March 30, 2025, with the Eid al-Fitr holiday to begin the following day.

Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of February 28, 2025, and end on the evening of March 30, 2025. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the exact start and end dates of Ramadan depend on sightings of the crescent moon. Each year, Ramadan lasts twenty-nine or thirty days. Eid al-Fitr is the religious holiday celebrated the day after Ramadan.

Muslims observing Ramadan abstain from eating and drinking from dawn—approximately an hour and a half before sunrise—until dusk every day during Ramadan. Many Muslims may be exempt from fasting for all or part of Ramadan, including those who are ill, pregnant, breastfeeding, or traveling. It is a common practice to eat a meal and pray right before dawn and right after sunset during Ramadan. In addition to the five daily prayers, additional nighttime and early morning prayers are recommended during the month, which are performed communally in Masjids.

Employers can consider flexible work hours and/or telework to accommodate Muslim employees’ religious needs. Some employees may need to request time off to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which is marked by special prayers and services.

Employees who work during the end of a daily fast may request the opportunity to break their fasts with food and drink, as well as with time and space to pray. Employees also may need certain accommodations, such as rest breaks, while they are fasting, depending on their medical conditions, age, or other factors.

Importantly, employers may want to remember that Muslim employees do not all have the same accommodation needs or preferences. Practicing a religious faith often involves personal and varying nuances and beliefs that differ among individuals. Having a conversation with each employee is helpful in understanding their specific situations or requests (if any), and such discussions meet the legal requirement for employers to engage in an “interactive process” regarding any religious accommodation requests.

Legal Obligations

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers may not discriminate against or harass workers based on their religion. Title VII requires an employer to reasonably accommodate an employee whose religious belief conflicts with a work requirement or when the requested assistance better allows the employee to perform his or her job functions—unless the accommodation would impose an undue burden on the employer. In 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States held that a substantial burden must be shown to rely on the undue hardship defense.

In addition to the federal law, many states have laws that similarly prohibit religious discrimination in the workplace and require reasonable accommodation.

Next Steps

Employers can consider ways to recognize Ramadan and provide education about it in their internal newsletters or social events.

To avoid violations of state and federal laws, employers may wish to review their written policies, practices, and employee training to prevent harassment and discrimination based on religion.

Employers must accommodate employees’ religious beliefs and practices unless a proposed accommodation would cause a substantial burden to business operations. Also, employers may want to keep in mind that not all Muslims observe Ramadan the same way.

Ogletree Deakins will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates on the Employment Law, Leaves of Absence, and Multistate Compliance blogs as new information becomes available.

Haseeb S. Fatmi is of counsel in Ogletree Deakins’ Raleigh office.

James M. Paul is a shareholder in Ogletree Deakins’ St. Louis office and Tampa office.

This article was co-authored by Leah J. Shepherd, who is a writer in Ogletree Deakins’ Washington, D.C., office.

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