U.S. Issues Religious Freedom Memo Giving Leeway in Hiring
- Attorney general says religion should be broadly accommodated
- Positions bolster religious conservatives who backed Trump
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions advised federal agencies to follow 20 principles of religious freedom, including a recognition that religious employers can discriminate in hiring, as he elaborated on an executive order President Donald Trump signed in May.
The guidance issued by Sessions on Friday says “religious organizations may choose to employ only persons whose beliefs and conduct are consistent with the organizations’ religious precepts.” A gay rights advocate said it “put a thumb on the scale” in favor of those who want to use religious liberty arguments to discriminate.