Sabbatical leaves of absence

a religious leave is not just an excuse for a mental health day. In my experience, people that need to take off for religious holidays are more than willing to make up the time, or even take extra shifts to make up for it.
By law (american) and employer must give the time, but I think he/ she can request a note from the leader of that religion in that area proving that it is indeed a holiday.

here is just something I was able to pull up on google:

Religious Observance

1. Management to make accommodations for religious activities. Kirtland AFB, 15 F 126 [NN]
2. Agency to grant an employee time off for religious observance except under unusual circumstances. Social Security Administration, 17 F 79 [NN]
3. Except in emergency situations, compensatory time will be granted for personal religious observances. Interior, 29 F 122 [NN]
4. Agency to grant time off for religious observance without respect to the agency's need for the employee's services during the period in question. Justice, 29 F 1 [NN]
5. Permitting employees, when practicable, to be absent from work in order to observe religious holidays. Veterans Affairs, 31 F 32 [N]
6. Requesting compensatory time off for religious observances. Internal Revenue Service and National Treasury Employees Union, 38 F 107 [NN]
7. The earning and use of compensatory overtime for religious observances. Customs Service and National Treasury Employees Union, 46 F 67 [N]
8. Concerning compensatory time for religious observances. Patent and Trademark Office and Patent Office Professional Association, 48 F 53 [N]
from:
http://www.opm.gov/lmr/flra/leave2.asp

Jam it back in, in the dark.