The Issues and Perceptions of Muslim Employees Concerning Religious Accommodation in the Workplace

Religious accommodation in the workplace has been a growing issue in the business community, partly as a result of an increasing number of religious discrimination cases in the United States. The focus of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate Muslims\u27 perceptions concerning religious accommodation using pluralism and religious pluralism as the theoretical frameworks. Data were collected via an online survey of Muslims from different regions throughout the United States with a sample size of 28 participants. Data from the online survey were analyzed using the Moustakas method of phenomenological analysis, which consists of epoché, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and the synthesis of meanings and essences. Results showed the Muslim employees perceived there was a severe lack of religious accommodation provided by their companies. A plurality of the respondents stated their companies did not take any action toward providing them with religious accommodation. Findings also showed prayer to be one of the most important forms of religious expression in the workplace. The implications for positive social change are that companies begin to communicate more effectively with their Muslim employees. With the hope that leaders and public policymakers will implement changes that are beneficial to American society