Can I Sue My Employer For Religious Discrimination

• Listed below are general samples of religious discrimination at work. This includes reverse religious discrimination. Most are based on court cases while others are quite clear in the liability imposed on employers.
  • Example 1: A interviewer does not employ a job candidate because the candidate holds certain religious beliefs.
  • Example 2: A office manager fails to promote a sincerely qualified believer of a different religion than the manager. The manager then promotes an unqualified lower-level employee solely because the employee shares the same beliefs.
  • Example 3: A manager fails to alter the employee’s work schedule so that the employee can attend a religious gathering.
  • Example 4: A business fails to alter their dress code policy to accommodate an employee who hold a religious belief that requires a certain garment. However, altering the dress code policy would not cause any hardship or safety risk.
  • Example 5: A supervisor maliciously harasses another employee of a certain religion with epithets, slurs, jokes and name calling. The reason for the adverse behavior is on account of the employee’s garments (which the business’ dress code policy permits).
  • Example 6: A group of employees who share a religion create a hostile work environment by attempting to convert an unwilling co-worker of a different faith. This occurs even though the co-worker has repeatedly told them to stop.
  • Example 7: A manager fires a qualified department employee with a fantastic track record. The manager terminates the employee solely because the manager considers the employee to be an intolerable spiritual nut.

If you believe than your boss has discriminated against you on the basis of religion, then you should immediately contact an attorney. Here at Miracle Mile Law Group we frequently accept discrimination cases on a contingency basis. This means we do not charge a single penny unless we win your case.

Victims of religious discrimination in California are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. They are also protected under the Fair Employment and Housing Act.

Under Title VII, employers are barred from wrongfully terminating, discriminating, or harassing employees based on their “religious beliefs.” Title VII defines religious beliefs quite broadly. Title VII does not just include widely held beliefs such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. Accordingly, religious beliefs under Title VII also include new or uncommon beliefs. This is so long as they are sincerely held and not only believed for the purpose of litigation. Applicants under Title VII may request reasonable accommodations to practice their religious beliefs so long as they do not cause an undue hardship or safety risk to the business, employees, or customers.

The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) offers many of the same protections as Title VII. However, the requisites to bring a suit are generally more relaxed.  It is important to understand that in order to bring a suit in a court of law, a California applicant must first obtain a right-to-sue from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Applicants can also obtain a right to sue letter from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH).