I am shomer Shabbat and I work public. If I were looking for a library job today, I don't know that I would consider public, based on the scarcity of jobs, the huge candidate pool, and my past experiences. Which I will now share.
I was hired as a public librarian in a large south-Florida system in 2004; during my interview, I said I wouldn't be able to work Saturdays for religious purposes. My interviewer said she wasn't legally allowed to ask me about it, and she also said she could not promise me that I would never be asked to work Saturdays; however, no one wanted to work Sundays, and that was a fair scheduling swap. When they offered me the job, I took my chances. The county cut Sundays in 2008. I was given a copy of my new schedule, which included alternating Saturdays. When pressed, my supervisor told me that there was no position for me if I couldn't work Saturdays. I took it to the union. I pursued this issue to the best of my ability, and was ultimately told by upper administration that I did not have a legal case as the county does not offer religious accommodation for anyone. I thought that I'd be fired as a Saturday-no-show. However, a call for volunteers went out to my coworkers, and a good friend offered to work every Saturday in exchange for a schedule that fit her life better. In 2012, the library system reopened regionals on Sundays. I was once again beloved for my willingness to work every Sunday, although now the churchgoers are angry, and supervisors make a point of telling me about how no one is offered religious accommodation and I should remember how unfair that is to them. No win. I hope this helps! Beth Wong
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