Brooklyn, NY – Mr. Friedman* contacted Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) after he was stymied by the IRS Manhattan Territory office. He responded to an open call for the Federal Career Intern Program in May of 2008, and was notified that his scheduled interview would take place on the Sabbath. In emails and in phone conversations, Mr. Friedman requested an alternate date because as an Orthodox Jew, he could not appear for the interview, but was repeatedly informed that it would not be possible.
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In a letter to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, Hikind requested an alternate interview date to conform with Mr. Friedman’s Sabbath observance. “The laws are in place to protect religious observance in the workplace and are unambiguous in their assignment,” Hikind said.
“If you are told that an accommodation can not be made for your religion, there are remedies, and there are interventions. My office is always here to try to facilitate this type of equitable resolution. Occasionally there are glitches in the application of the law, but that is the exception, not the rule.
“The IRS commissioner is to be commended for responding expeditiously and accommodating Mr. Friedman’s observance. If you have been told that a potential employer can not accommodate your observance of the Sabbath or religious holidays,. i guess we could say now “IRS also stands for: I Respect the Sabbath.”
*name has been changed to protect individual’s privacy
Great job Dov. Dov is a person that stands up for jews and jewish causes.
Dov Hikind’s assistance in this is completely in line with all of his past amazing responses to the whole Jewish coomunity, not just his constituents. Kol hakovod Dov, may Hashem grant you many more years of active participation in coomunal affairsa nd may you always be successful in all your endeavors.
With a public servant as Dov, we can’t go wrong.
Get real. It doesn’t take much to get thise done. Anyone writing this letter to the commissioner with a cc to the press would have gotten the same response. I guess you must be on Dov’s payroll or work for an organization that received some of his pork barrel “grants” from our tax dollars.
Kudos to Dov Kol hakovod
Asher is right, but this is how Dov will have an inside person at the IRS
u go dov…yay
wow this guy actually did someone a favor! I am speechless
Dov is our guy…
the best there is, the best that was, the best that ever will be….