Many forms of discrimination in the workplace are illegal, including discrimination on the basis of racial group or religious affiliation. A still commonly experienced form of discrimination at work is anti-Semitism. This is when an employee is discriminated against because they are Jewish.
If you have experienced anti-Semitism in the workplace or any other form of religious discrimination you may be able to file a claim with your state anti-discrimination body or the federal Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC). A claim may lead to compensation being paid to you and penalties against your employer if a breach of discrimination is proven.
What is Antisemitism?
Antisemitism is a form of discrimination against those people who identify as Jewish, even if they are not particularly religious. Examples of anti-Semitism in the workplace include any combination of the following:
- not hiring a Jewish person because of their religious affiliation;
- firing an employee because they are Jewish;
- not promoting the employee because they are Jewish;
- not paying the correct wage or overtime rate because the employee is Jewish;
- making anti-Jewish comments, slurs, jibes or jokes or any form of interaction based on derisive or derogatory comment towards Jews as a group.
Is Antisemitism in the Workplace Illegal?
All forms of religious and racial discrimination, including anti-Semitism, are illegal. Both state and federal anti-discrimination legislation exists to protect workers from religious and racial discrimination at work.
The federal law that addresses religious discrimination is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Most states have very similar laws that also prohibit religious discrimination at work. The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that is charged with addressing claims of illegal discrimination such as anti-Semitism.
What Do I Do If I’m Experiencing Antisemitism?
If you have experienced anti-Semitism, you should make a note of how it happened and collect evidence if you can, such as emails, cell phone messages. You will need to report the discrimination to your manager or HR and keep a record of any communication or response you have.
If the discrimination continues despite making a complaint to HR or your supervisor, then you should file a complaint with either the EEOC or the state equivalent. The EEOC deals with larger workplaces, i.e. workplaces with 15 or more employees, so if you are employed in a smaller workplace, file your complaint with the state body.
If the EEOC cannot resolve the complaint, you will be given permission to sue your employer. You can then file a lawsuit against your employer through the civil court.
Get Help With Your Religious Discrimination Claim
Antisemitism at work is illegal. If you have experienced anti-Semitism and your employer fails to do anything about it, you may have grounds to file a claim against your employer for a breach of federal or state anti-discrimination legislation. An employment law attorney can help you with your claim.
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Additional Resources
- Religious Discrimination Letter
- How to Prove Religious Discrimination
- Wrongfully Terminated Because of Religious Discrimination
