Akili Ujima

Akili Ujima, a Bureau of Prisons employee who works as an educator, began his administrative challenges seeking religious accommodations in the workplace in 2015. His employer refused to allow him to attend Friday prayers on his lunch hour, even though he had been allowed to do that before, and even though he was only requesting to go to the mosque that was across the street from his place of work. His employer did not make alternative suggestions, and he ended up using all of his PTO time and other leave, then taking unpaid days off while letting his supervisor know he was doing it to attend Friday prayers.  CLCMA joined Mr. Ujima in his fight in 2018, when he had still not been able to get resolution.  Through many administrative hurdles and delays, CLCMA and Mr. Ujima finally had an administrative trial in June 2020. And we won! The Administrative Law Judge ruled that the agency violated the law when it refused to accommodate his sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, and when instead of working with him to find a solution “they just said no.”  The Administrative Law Judge then held a damages trial in December 2020, and in March 2021 ordered that the Bureau of Prisons needed to pay Mr. Ujima $15,000 in pain and suffering, restore over 900 hours of leave time to him with time for him to use it before it expires, and pay a little over $70,000 in attorneys’ fees.  The agency only fought the ruling on part of the award of the attorneys’ fees.  However, Mr. Ujima still isn’t getting appropriate accommodations for his religious beliefs.  So, CLCMA continues to work with him to challenge the workplace practices, and in doing so hopes that this and other government agencies will change their employment practices to properly accommodate legitimate religious requests by workers like Mr. Ujima.  Despite this battle continuing for more than four years already, religious accommodations remain a daily need in the workplace.  CLCMA remains committed to helping its clients get those religious accommodations, which they are entitled to receive under the law.