The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published new guidelines in a compliance manual, regarding religion discrimination in the workplace.
The new guidelines address religion discrimination within the meaning of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a landmark, Federal discrimination law that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (gender) or national origin.
Among other things, the new guidelines address the following matters regarding religion discrimination under Title VII.
- What constitutes “religion”
- Disparate treatment of employees based on their religion
- Employer requirement to reasonably accommodate religious beliefs and practices
- Balancing employee rights regarding religious expression with employer needs
- Religion-based harassment and retaliation
To supplement the new religion discrimination guidelines, the EEOC has also published the following.
Questions and Answers: Religious Discrimination in the Workplace
Best Practices for Eradicating Religious Discrimination in the Workplace
Although the EEOC’s new documents are to help employers better comply with Title VII, employees would benefit from reading them too. You don’t have to be a lawyer to understand most of the information.
If you reasonably believe that you’ve suffered religion discrimination by your employer or one of its representatives, then you or your representative, such as your lawyer, may file a discrimination charge with the EEOC. In fact, you or your representative must file a charge with the EEOC, to later file a lawsuit should the EEOC not do so on your behalf.
Lawyers often take discrimination cases on a contingency basis.
