Religious Discrimination Attorney

Expert Religious Discrimination Attorneys

A person should never feel judged, mistreated or discriminated against because of their religious beliefs. If you feel you are being unfairly treated in your workplace based on your religion, you should consult with a knowledgeable religious discrimination lawyer right away.

West Coast Employment Lawyers are well known for our high success rates and making sure our clients’ workplace rights are always protected. We have won over a $1 billion in legal settlements and have over 60 years of experience advocating for unfairly treated employees.

Do not stay quiet and continue to receive mistreatment for your religious beliefs, you deserve to express your California religious rights at work. Contact one of our experienced religious discrimination attorneys for help filing a religious discrimination lawsuit against your employer.

What Is Religious Discrimination?

All employees are entitled to protection against religious discrimination at their jobs, irrespective of their chosen religion. If a religious group or people practicing a certain religion are favored over another group, then religious discrimination is being exhibited.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) protects the rights of all employees and prospective employees to express their respective religions freely. It is illegal for an employer to terminate an employee or choose not to hire an individual based on any religious criterias or preferences. 

Signs of Religious Discrimination

Workplace religious discrimination should be identified as soon as possible as it can be damaging to your mental and emotional well-being.

Most discriminatory behaviors sometimes go unnoticed or are accepted as the norm when they are not. If you feel like you are being discriminated against at your place of work or receiving disparate treatment, there are some signs you can watch out for. 

Take note of these actions and behaviors towards you as these can serve as circumstantial evidence for your religious discrimination case;

  • Derogatory comments regarding your religion or religious group 
  • Conflicting scheduling with important religious days
  • Religious attire discrimination 
  • Salary discrepancies due to differing religions
  • Less responsibilities/work opportunities because of chosen religious group
  • Prohibiting religious hairstyles at work 
  • Refusing the observance of religious holidays 
  • Mandatory observances of other practices and beliefs that conflict with yours 
  • No accommodation of daily religious rituals and practices
  • Refusing employment based on religious belief 
  • Refusing raises or promotion based on religion 
  • Wrongful termination based on religious choices 

If you feel any of these religious discriminatory acts apply to you, please call West Coast Employment Lawyers today and one of our religious discrimination attorneys will attend to you. 

Protective Laws Against Religious Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) includes theistic and non-theistic beliefs when defining “religious beliefs”. Theistic beliefs include a belief in God while non-theistic beliefs are moral or ethical beliefs about right and wrong. These sincerely held religious beliefs are protected under the law. 

The Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964 was created to ensure employees are treated with respect and dignity at their places of work. This means that under no circumstance should an employee be disparaged or treated inhumanely because of their chosen religion.

There are no religions or religious groups that are protected or prioritized over the other. All religions under California state law are to be treated with equal amounts of respect as well as those who practice them. 

Religious Accommodations In The Workplace 

A religious accommodation is any adjustment to an employer’s policies that will allow an employee freedom to practice their religion.

Title VII requires all employers to provide their employees with religious accommodations in the workplace. Except where it will constitute unreasonable hardship or danger to the employer and other employees. 

The California Workplace Religious Freedom Act was created to expand existing FEHA protections, to allow employees more religious rights at work. Religious accommodations in the workplace could look like:

  • Allowing scheduling changes or days off for religious observances
  • Allowing extra break periods for prayers or other daily religious rituals
  • Permitting the putting on of religious garments and other religious dress code
  • Being tolerant of religious grooming practices and hairstyles
  • Allowing the participation of an employee in any religious protected activity

If your current employer is not granting you some or all of your religious rights at work, you may be entitled to file a claim against them. Contact a religious discrimination lawyer at West Coast Employment Lawyers. 

Religious Discrimination Lawsuits

Victims of religious discrimination in the workplace are entitled to file a religious discrimination lawsuit against their employer. 

Filing a lawsuit will increase your potential for damages such as emotional harassment, ptsd and loss of wages. In some cases, if you have been wrongfully terminated on religious discrimination basis, your job position may be reinstated. 

It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you after you have filed a lawsuit against them, or have assisted the EEOC in a discrimination investigation. 

Concrete evidence of religious discrimination in employment settings is difficult to acquire. It is important you take note of any situation where you feel you are getting differential treatment. 

Speak with our religious discrimination lawyer today to ensure your religious rights are protected in the workplace. 

Religious Harassment

Religious harassment is unwelcome or negative behavior towards a person of a targeted religion. Religious harassment violates the protection set forth in the religious discrimination bill and occurs when: 

  • An employee is required or forced to abandon their religion as a condition of employment
  • An employee is forced to pick up another religious belief as an employment requirement
  • An employee is subject to unwelcome or derogatory comments 

Religious Affiliation 

Your religious affiliations determine which religious group you belong to and identify with. 

There are about five widely recognized religious divisions in California namely;

  • Protestants 
  • Catholics
  • Muslims
  • Jews
  • Non-religious 

There are also minority religions not as prevalent in California such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Traditionalism, Sikhism and Taoism. You should be treated with respect and dignity in your workplace regardless of what your religious affiliations are. 

Free Consultation With Our Religious Discrimination Attorneys

Do not be complacent to discriminatory treatment by your employer. Our Religious discrimination attorneys will advocate for you and your right to religious freedom in the workplace. 

Speak with one of our attorneys at West Coast Employment Lawyers for free by calling 213-927-3700. You can also email us at [email protected] or fill out our quick contact form to begin the legal process. 

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