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Court Orders CA Dept of Corrections & Rehabilitation to Pause No-Beard Policy

29 Aug, 2024

A federal court paused CDCR’s no-beard policy for peace officers (POs) and ordered the department to do more for POs who wear facial hair for religious reasons. (See on DOJ website.)

Message from Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Director, Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships*, US Department of Justice, 145 N Street, NE 5E.300 Washington, DC 20530:

Dear Colleagues,

We would like your help spreading the word about a recent court order that may affect members of your community and their religious practice.

On June 20, 2024, the Justice Department secured a preliminary injunction in federal court against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). In its order, the Court paused CDCR’s no-beard policy and ordered it to do more for CDCR Peace Officers who wear facial hair for religious reasons. CDCR must temporarily allow these Peace Officers to work or receive paid leave and must explore options for accommodating their religious beliefs.

As Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stated when the department first filed suit against CDCR, “Religious freedom and religious accommodation are bedrock principles of our democracy.” The Court’s order ensures that CDCR Peace Officers do not have to choose between their faith and their jobs.

The attached handout explains the actions CDCR must take per the Court’s order. We hope you will share it with the members of your community who may be affected or know of people who may be affected. If anyone believes CDCR is not following the Court’s order or has questions about how the order may apply to them, contact us atCommunity.CDCR@usdoj.gov.

We value the work you do every day to advance civil rights and appreciate your help raising awareness about this matter. And of course, if anyone believes CDCR is violating Title VII, they should file a charge of employment discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within the required timelines.

Thank you,

Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Director, Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, US Department of Justice


* About the Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships: The mission of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships is to support departmental and federal agency partnerships with faith-based and other neighborhood organizations and leaders. The Center will facilitate exchanges of information and expertise through financial and non-financial partnerships to impact specific challenges facing American communities and identify concerns, ideas, and policy options in coordination with the White House and other federal agency centers.