Mayor Signs Weprin's Religious Freedom Bill

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has signed into law a bill that would require employers to provide “reasonable accommodation” for the religious observations of their workers.

The bill, which was sponsored by Councilman Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens, is an amendment to the city’s Human Rights Law.

“This legislation contains a non-exhaustive list of factors to be considered in determining whether an accommodation would pose an undue economic hardship and also provides that an accommodation poses undue hardship if it results in an employee being unable to perform the essential functions of the employee’s job,” the mayor said of the bill, which was signed into law today.

Weprin said he believed the bill would strengthen religious freedom in the workplace by allowing employees to not have to choose between practicing their religion and performing their job.

A number of Queens Council members were sponsors for the bill, including Weprin, Karen Koslowitz, Jimmy Van Bramer, Danny Dromm, Elizabeth Crowley and Eric Ulrich.