Religious Discrimination Attorneys

Religious freedom is a right for everyone in this country - we all have a right to our beliefs and to practice them without discrimination. That includes discrimination in the workplace.

As attorneys, we must uphold this law. If you believe you have faced discrimination at work because of what you believe or how you choose to express those beliefs, we would like to help you. This article provides an overview of religious discrimination in the workplace, what it is, examples of it, and how you can benefit from working with an attorney.

Have you wondered, “Are there religious discrimination lawyers near me?” The answer is yes. As a nationwide law firm, we are everywhere you need us to be.

What Employees’ Religious Beliefs Are Protected In The Workplace?

You have the right to hold and express your religious beliefs without fear that your boss will treat you differently or allow someone else to treat you differently. This right belongs to people who practice well-known and recognized religions and hold beliefs that do not align with a major religion. You are entitled to equal treatment and reasonable accommodation to practice your religion in the workplace.

Religious Discrimination: What It Is

Religious discrimination in the workplace happens when an employer, a manager, a supervisor, or anyone in charge of others treats an employee unfairly or unfavorably because of that employee’s religious beliefs or practices. There are many ways religious discrimination happens:

• Hiring an employee. Employers can not make employment decisions because of someone’s religion.
• Firing an employee. Employers can not terminate someone because of that employee’s religious beliefs or how that employee practices their religion.
• Promoting an employee. Employers can not give raises, promotions, preferred work, preferred territories, or preferred tasks because of their religious beliefs.
• Harassment. Employers cannot make offensive remarks or comments about religious beliefs, attire, customs, or religion. Employers cannot foster a hostile work environment by being aware of those remarks and doing nothing.
• Accommodation. Employers must be reasonable when an employee asks for specific accommodations so they can practice their religion. This includes time off for religious observances, adjusting dress code policies, and allowing for prayer breaks.

Workplace religious discrimination also happens when an employer takes adverse action when an employee declines to participate in employer-mandated religious or spiritual exercises.

What Laws Protect You from Religious Discrimination?

The two most commonly cited laws that protect employees from religious discrimination are:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on the employee’s religion. This law also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees practicing their religion unless it would cause undue hardship for the business.
• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidelines. The EEOC is a federal agency that produces guidelines on employers’ responsibilities and employees’ rights regarding religious freedom and religious discrimination in the workplace.

Examples Of Religious Discrimination

Directly, this can happen if an employer denies you time off for a religious observance and cannot provide a valid reason. If an employer knows that colleagues make fun of your lunch, clothing, hair, beliefs, or anything else related to your religion and does nothing, that could be religious discrimination.

Indirectly, policies impacting one religious group more than another could be religion discrimination, like requiring workers to work Friday nights or implementing a no-beard policy.

How Can Religious Discrimination Lawyers Help You

Everyone’s circumstances are different. Every job and every case of religious discrimination are different. Our first job as employment discrimination or religious discrimination lawyers is to listen to you tell us your story. Then, we assess, apply the law to the facts of your case, offer legal advice, prepare a strategy for your next steps, guide you on how to gather the best evidence, and, when appropriate, file a lawsuit against your employer. A lawyer for religious discrimination justice will support you and answer any questions you have throughout this whole process.

Who Can We Help?

We can help anyone who is an employee at any job from all walks of life. We help people at every level in every industry.

You do not have to tolerate religious discrimination in the workplace or stand up to it alone. If you’ve experienced religious injustice or discrimination at work, take the first step toward getting the justice you deserve.

Our religious discrimination attorneys will fight for your rights and hold the companies responsible for discriminating against you accountable when they violate those rights.