There are laws in place to protect workers from harassment and discrimination. Religious discrimination occurs when an applicant or an employee has been mistreated or treated unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. Religious discrimination can also involve treating someone differently because that person is either married to or associated with someone of a specific religion or belief. If you were wrongfully terminated because of your religious beliefs or affiliation, you should speak with an employment law attorney about pursuing a claim against your employer to recoup compensation for your damages.
What is Considered Religious Discrimination?
Religious discrimination is forbidden when any aspect of employment is involved. This includes hiring, firing, determining salary or pay, assignment work duties and responsibilities, promotions, lay-offs, demotions, training, fringe benefits, and any other condition of employment. It is also illegal to harass an individual because of their religious beliefs or affiliation.
There are many things that could comprise harassment. It could be offensive remarks about an individual’s religious beliefs and practices. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act also prohibits job or workplace segregation based on an individual’s religious practices or religious beliefs. As an example, if your religion calls for specific religious dress or grooming practices, such as long hair or a long beard, your employer cannot assign you to a non-customer contact role simply because of either actual or feared customer preferences.
Religious Discrimination And Accommodations
The law requires an employer or any other covered entity to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs or practices. They must adhere to this practice unless doing so would cause more than a minimal burden on the operations of the employer’s business. This means that an employer could be required to make reasonable adjustments to the work environment so they can allow the employee to practice his or her religion. As an example, the employee may not be allowed to work on Friday afternoons because of his or her religious beliefs, or they may require Sundays off to attend worship services.
You have the right to ask for these accommodations, and if the employer can reasonably meet these requests and refuses, or if your employer retaliates against you because of your requests, then you should maintain supporting evidence and documentation. You should keep copies of any requests made as well as any responses received from your employer. Keep emails, memos, texts, and digital images that may pertain to your request for accommodation.
What To Do If You Were Fired Because Of Racial Discrimination
You should ask any witnesses to provide written statements that apply to your specific situation. Also, if there are any digital images, video footage, or audio footage to support your claim, you should make sure that is preserved to be used as supporting evidence for your evidence and documentation for your claim against your employer. You will start the claims process by contacting your local Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
You can make a call to your EEOC and learn the steps to pursuing a claim. The EEOC will be able to provide insight and details for the claims process, so you can make sure that you handle everything according to proper protocol and procedure.
The key to a successful claim is gathering as much physical evidence as you possibly can. You will also want to investigate to determine if your employer has a pattern of this behavior and if others have fallen victim to this treatment as well. You should also make note regarding if you spoke to your employer about your concerns and how they responded. Did your employer retaliate against your complaint for religious discrimination?
You must prove that your termination from your job was because of your religious beliefs or your religious affiliation. Your first step will be to gather supporting evidence and file a claim. You can file your claim in person at the nearest EEOC office or by mail. An employment law attorney will help you throughout the claims process and will help you get your claim underway.
How An Employment Law Attorney Can Help You
If you were terminated because of religious discrimination, you should speak with an employment law attorney. An attorney is familiar with the state and federal laws and will have strong negotiation skills. If your claim must advance to court, your lawyer will be able to help you throughout the process. Some employment law attorneys work on a contingency basis while others do charge a retainer. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page to share the details of your case with an attorney in your area.
Additional Resources
- How to Know If You Were Illegally Fired
- Religious Discrimination Letter
- I Was Forced to Resign Because I Am Jewish
- Gathering Evidence For Religious Discrimination
- What are Examples of Religious Discrimination in the Workplace?
- What Is the Average Wrongful Termination Settlement?
- What To Do If a Coworker or Superior Is Religiously Insensitive or Harassing You In the Workplace
