Religious discrimination can be presented as direct discrimination, harassment, and/or failure to provide accommodations. Employees in Long Beach are legally protected from religious discrimination with the enactment of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The California Fair Employment and Housing Act. JML Law has over 40 years of experience in representing clients who have been discriminated against because of their religious beliefs. Any employer who is guilty of breaching these Acts should be held accountable and be legally made to rectify these violations to the fullest extent required by law. Our professional Religious Discrimination Attorneys, at JML Law, provide our clients with expert and confidential legal counsel. Contact our offices today in Long Beach at 818-610-8800 for a free consultation and case evaluation.
What Is Religious Discrimination
Religious discrimination happens when an employer treats an employee unfairly or unjustifiably because of that employee’s religion. An employer can not treat an employee unequally because of his or her religious beliefs; whether they belong to traditional organized religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism or other religious, ethical, or moral beliefs. Title VII of The Civil Rights Act protects employees from frequent and/or severe offensive statements about their religious beliefs in the workplace. According to The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the law does not consider teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not serious, harassment. Social, political, and economic philosophies or personal preferences are also not protected as religious beliefs in the workplace under Title VII.
Workplace Religious Accommodations
Anti-discrimination laws require an employer to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs unless it would cause an unreasonable burden on business operations. Examples of common religious accommodations in the workplace could include:
- Exceptions to workplace dress codes
- Exceptions to an employer’s grooming policies because of a religious practice
- Schedule changes (e.g. off Sundays to worship or time off for the attendance of Good Friday)
- Exception from performing certain tasks against an employee’s religious beliefs
- A non-religious employee must be given an exception to not participate in any company religious activities
Employers are prohibited from exercising segregation in the workplace based on religion, including garb and grooming practices. Employers must abide by workplace accommodations because of religion with the exception of where the specified accommodation would put undue hardship on the employer’s establishment. Examples of undue hardship could include:
- If the accommodation is costly
- Conflicts with workplace safety
- Negatively impacts efficiency on the job
- Infringes on the rights of other employees
- Requires other employees to do unfair potentially hazardous or overburdened work
What Happens Now
Violations of your civil and workers’ rights should never be tolerated and are illegal, unethical, and prohibited by law. Always report unlawful conduct and violations to the appropriate parties and consult with legal counsel. Contact JML Law in Long Beach today at 818-610-8800 or click here to speak with a Religious Discrimination Attorney. We ensure our client’s rights are enforced, investigate claims, uncover witness testimonies, consult with experts, and gather all pertinent supporting evidence to substantiate your case. As our client, if your case does not reach a positive conclusion, you owe nothing.
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