Religious observances occur year-round. With Ramadan recently past and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur soon to come, faculty and staff are reminded that religious diversity is part of Cornell's commitment to diversity and inclusion, and they are encouraged to take religious observances into account when planning events, meetings, programs, meals and travel. The Cornell United Religious Work website lists dates of religious observances, along with such restrictions as fasting (with implications for event planning), limitations on working (absences from school or work should be excused) and other practices that can arise in the work or educational environment.

Some examples of good planning practices for religious holidays and observances include:

• planning meetings and events for days other than widely observed religious holidays and avoiding or modifying banquets and other significant meal events during fasting times (e.g., Ramadan, Yom Kippur);
• allowing flexible schedules to accommodate religious observances;
• allowing the use of vacation, personal or unpaid leave, as appropriate, to accommodate religious observances; and
• consulting the religious accommodation process to help resolve any perceived conflict between an employee's request for religious observance, e.g., head covering or facial jewelry, and the business needs of the department. An FAQ on the religious accommodation process is available online.

A partial list of academic year 2012-13 holidays that occur when the university is open and that are widely observed within certain religions include:

• Rosh Hashanah: Sept. 17-18
• Yom Kippur: Sept. 26
• Eid al-Adha: Oct. 26
• Hijra Islamic (Islamic New Year): Nov. 15
• Mawlid an Nabi (Muhammad's birthday): Jan. 24
• Ash Wednesday: Feb. 13
• Passover: March 26-31
• Good Friday: March 29
• Easter: Sunday, March 31
• Good Friday (Eastern Orthodox): May 3
• Easter (Eastern Orthodox): May 5

Contact the Office of Workforce Policy and Labor Relations at 607-254-7232 or emailequalopportunity@cornell.edu with questions.