How to Accommodate Orthodox Jewish Employees at Work

I get this question more than almost any other in my consulting work: "We just hired someone who is Orthodox Jewish and we want to do right by them — what do we need to know?" The fact that you are even asking tells me you are the kind of employer people want to work for. So let me make this simple.

Most of what an Orthodox Jewish employee needs is not complicated, not expensive, and not unusual. It is mostly about scheduling and food — two things every workplace already manages. The difference is just the specifics. So let me walk you through them one at a time.

shabbat-the-big-one">Shabbat: The Big One

Shabbat starts at sunset on Friday and ends after nightfall on Saturday. During this time, an Orthodox Jew will not work, use a computer, answer emails, drive, or use a phone. This is not a preference. This is not "I would rather not." This is a religious obligation that has been observed for over three thousand years.

What this means practically:

• Friday afternoons: Your employee will need to leave early on Fridays during the winter months, when sunset can be as early as 4:15 PM in northern cities. In the summer, sunset is much later (8:00 PM or later), so this is less of an issue. Most Orthodox employees will make up the time — working through lunch, starting earlier, or shifting hours to other days. They are used to this arrangement and have been doing it their entire careers.
• Friday night and Saturday: Do not schedule meetings, calls, deadlines, or team events during this time. If you send a Friday afternoon email, do not expect a response until Sunday morning.
• Saturday night: Shabbat ends about 40–72 minutes after sunset on Saturday, depending on community custom. After that point, your employee is back.

I want to be honest with you — the Friday afternoon thing is the one that requires the most flexibility from employers, especially in winter. But I have worked with hundreds of companies on this, and I have yet to see a case where it could not be worked out. Flex time, remote work, shifted schedules — the tools already exist. Orthodox employees tend to be extremely conscientious about making up hours precisely because they know they are asking for accommodation.

Jewish Holidays

Beyond Shabbat, there are several Jewish holidays throughout the year when Orthodox Jews cannot work. These follow the same rules as Shabbat — no electricity, no driving, no work of any kind. Here are the main ones:

• Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) — 2 days, usually September or October
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) — 1 day (also a 25-hour fast)
• Sukkot — 2 days at the start, 1 day at the end, with intermediate days where work is permitted but often taken off
• Simchat Torah — 1 day
• Passover — 4 non-work days (2 at the start, 2 at the end), plus 4 intermediate days
• Shavuot — 2 days

That comes to roughly 13 non-work days per year that fall outside weekends. Most Orthodox employees use a combination of vacation days, personal days, and flex arrangements to cover these. Many will offer to work on secular holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving weekend in exchange — which can actually be a scheduling advantage for your team.

kosher-food-at-work-events">Kosher Food at Work Events

This is simpler than people think. If your company hosts meals, events, or team lunches, here is what to know:

• Catered events: Order from a kosher caterer or get certified kosher food. Look for an "OU" or other kosher certification symbol on packaged items. Your Orthodox employee can probably recommend a local kosher caterer — ask them.
• Restaurant outings: If the team goes out for lunch, an Orthodox employee can only eat at a kosher restaurant. In cities with large Jewish communities (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago), there are plenty of options. In smaller cities, there may be fewer. Do not put them in the position of sitting at a non-kosher restaurant watching everyone else eat.
• Office snacks and kitchen: Fresh whole fruits, vegetables, and packaged items with kosher certification are always safe. Coffee with non-dairy creamer is fine. Having a few kosher options in the break room is a nice touch.
• The separate dishes thing: Some strictly observant employees will bring their own utensils or use disposable ones. This is not pickiness — it is about maintaining kosher separation. Do not take it personally.

The easiest approach is to ask your employee directly. I promise you, they are used to navigating food situations and will not be offended by the question. In fact, they will be relieved you asked.

Prayer During the Workday

Orthodox Jewish men pray three times daily — morning (shacharit), afternoon (mincha), and evening (maariv). The afternoon prayer is the one most likely to come up during work hours. It takes about 10–15 minutes.

Most Orthodox employees will find a quiet corner, an empty conference room, or even step outside. They may put on a tallit">tallit (prayer shawl) and Torah passages, worn during weekday morning prayers">tefillin">tefillin (leather boxes with straps) for the morning prayer. If someone walks in and sees a colleague wrapped in leather straps and rocking back and forth, this is completely normal. It is prayer. A brief heads-up to the team prevents surprised reactions.

Dress Code and Physical Contact

Orthodox Jewish dress follows modesty guidelines. For women, this typically means covered elbows, covered knees, and covered collarbone. Married women cover their hair with a wig (sheitel), scarf, or hat. For men, you will notice a kippah (head covering) and possibly tzitzit (fringed strings visible at the waist).

None of this should conflict with most workplace dress codes, but if your company has a strict uniform policy, a conversation about modest adaptations is worthwhile.

The other thing to know: many Orthodox Jews practice shomer negiah, which means they do not shake hands with members of the opposite gender. If your employee does not extend their hand for a handshake, it is not rudeness — it is a religious boundary about physical contact. A warm verbal greeting works perfectly. My friend in corporate consulting tells me the awkwardness lasts about one meeting and then everyone adjusts.

What Most Employers Get Wrong

Let me address a few things I see come up repeatedly:

"They can't possibly need ALL those holidays off." They do. These are not optional. An Orthodox Jew who works on Yom Kippur is violating one of the most serious commandments in the Torah. Asking them to "just skip one" is like asking someone to skip their own wedding.

"Can't they just check email on Saturday? Just this once?" No. Shabbat observance is not a dial you turn up or down. It is all or nothing. Your urgent Saturday email can wait until Sunday, or you can designate a non-Shabbat-observant backup.

"Why didn't they mention this during the interview?" Many Orthodox candidates are nervous about disclosing religious needs during hiring because they fear discrimination. If your workplace makes it clear during onboarding that religious accommodations are standard and supported, you will build extraordinary loyalty.

"Is this a lot of accommodations?" Compared to what? You already accommodate work-from-home requests, parental schedules, medical appointments, and different dietary needs. This is the same category of human workplace flexibility. And in my experience, Orthodox employees tend to be deeply loyal to employers who respect their observance — you will earn that loyalty back many times over.

A Note for HR Managers

If you are reading this because you manage a team or work in HR, I want to point you to a resource I put together specifically for HR professionals working with Orthodox Jewish employees and clients. It covers everything in this article and more, including holiday calendar templates and common policy language.

If your company would benefit from a structured training session on Orthodox Jewish cultural competency — particularly if you are in healthcare, education, entertainment, or any client-facing industry — that is exactly what I do. A 90-minute workshop can save your team years of trial and error.

Common Questions

Do Orthodox Jews work on Sundays? Most do, yes. Sunday is a regular workday in Orthodox Jewish life (unlike in Christian tradition, where it is the day of rest). In fact, some employers find that having an employee who is happy to work Sundays is a scheduling asset.

What if our office has a casual dress code — can they still dress modestly? Absolutely. Modest dress and casual dress are not mutually exclusive. Long sleeves and a skirt work just as well in a creative agency as in a law firm. They have been doing this their whole lives.

Should I wish them 'Happy Hanukkah' instead of 'Merry Christmas'? You can! But Chanukah is actually a relatively minor holiday in Judaism. The bigger ones — Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover — are much more significant. "Good Yom Tov" is the generic greeting for Jewish holidays, and they will appreciate you knowing it.

Do I need to do anything special for Passover? The main thing to know is that during the eight days of Passover, your employee will not eat bread, pasta, cereal, or most processed foods. If you are ordering lunch for the team during Passover, ask your employee what they can eat — they will tell you exactly what to order. Matzo and fresh fruit are always safe bets.

What about working late or travel? Orthodox employees can work late during the week (Sunday through Thursday), but Friday evenings and Saturdays are completely off-limits. Business travel needs to be scheduled so they arrive before Shabbat starts and do not need to travel on Shabbat. With planning, this is usually straightforward.