As per Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers cannot discriminate against their employers due to their religious beliefs. Nevertheless, in actual practice, many religious people, particularly women, report experiencing some form or the other of discrimination at their workplace. Since religious beliefs constitute an important part of a person’s identity, such discrimination can cause mental distress and interfere with the employee’s ability to perform well.
Rather than put up with it, the employees may benefit from taking a strong stance against it. By hiring a lawyer for religious discrimination LA based employees can take appropriate action to assert their legal rights.
What is religious discrimination in the workplace?
Religious discrimination in the workplace is behaving in an offensive way with someone on account of their religion. The harasser can be the victim’s employer, manager, co-workers, or other people associated with the company. The discriminatory behavior can include the following:
• Subjecting someone to frequent taunts about their religion, religious beliefs, and religious practices.
• Depriving them of the work and promotion opportunities they deserve.
• Demoting or firing them from their position on account of their religious beliefs.
• Excluding them from meetings, social activities, and training programs on the grounds of their religion.
• Sabotaging their work and spreading malicious rumors to ruin their reputations.
• Refusing to make reasonable religious accommodations that do not interfere with work operations.
Why does religious discrimination target women?
Perpetrators of religious discrimination generally target women since it is easier to victimize them. Many religious women have a pacific attitude and try to avoid conflict. They may also be afraid of stirring things up by speaking out against the discrimination they face in their workplace, especially if the harasser is in a position of authority. They may be concerned about losing their job and, thereby, part of the family income if things blow up. They may, therefore, try to ignore the discriminatory behavior as best as they can.
Some religious women may even think that they are doing the right thing by taking to the higher ground and not responding in kind to the harassers. However, that may not always work out as they hope. Instead of fading away, the harassment could escalate and make the work environment even more toxic.
If you are in such a situation and are in a quandary about how to handle things, consider the following:
• Is the behavior preventing you from working to the best of your abilities?
• Is it making you feel afraid, anxious, and intimidated?
Like many women, you may want to give up the job rather than put up with the discrimination. However, you might face the same situation in your next workplace too. Unless you plan to keep changing jobs to your detriment, it might help you more in the long run to make use of the existing employment laws in California to stand up for yourself and protect your legal rights.
Speak to your manager and file a formal complaint with the HR department. You can also file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. You do not require a lawyer to do so, but it is best to have a legal representative. If you do not already know a lawyer, search online for “a lawyer for religious discrimination LA” and get expert advice about your legal options.
How can a lawyer help you fight religious discrimination?
After finding a lawyer in your area by searching online for “a lawyer for religious discrimination LA,” you can arrange a consultation meeting. Many lawyers offer a free initial consultation during which they will assess the legal merits of your case and inform you of the damages you can receive. Since most legal disputes take time to resolve, it is advisable to hire a lawyer who is empathetic to your situation and is interested in getting you justice.
Once they realize that you have legal representation and intend to safeguard your rights, your employer is likely to take your complaint more seriously. To avoid a lawsuit and bad publicity, they may offer you a decent settlement and take appropriate measures to halt religious discrimination in the workplace.