Religious discrimination is not new and it happens in New Hampshire. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the number of religion-based discrimination complaints has increased almost every year for the past ten (10) years.

What Constitutes Religious Discrimination?

Federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring, firing, and other terms and conditions of employment. The following situations are covered under religious discrimination protections.

UNDER TITLE VII:

Employers may not treat employees or applicants more or less favorably because of their religious beliefs or practices – except to the extent a religious accommodation is warranted. For example, an employer may not refuse to hire individuals of a certain religion, may not impose stricter promotion requirements for persons of a certain religion, and may not impose more or different work requirements on an employee because of that employee’s religious beliefs or practices.

Employees cannot be forced to participate – or not participate – in a religious activity as a condition of employment.

Employers must reasonably accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious practices unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer. A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow the employee to practice his religion. An employer might accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs or practices by allowing: flexible scheduling, voluntary substitutions or swaps, job reassignments and lateral transfers, modification of grooming requirements and other workplace practices, policies and/or procedures.

An employer is not required to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs and practices if doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employers’ legitimate business interests. An employer can show undue hardship if accommodating an employee’s religious practices requires more than ordinary administrative costs, diminishes efficiency in other jobs, infringes on other employees’ job rights or benefits, impairs workplace safety, causes co-workers to carry the accommodated employee’s share of potentially hazardous or burdensome work, or if the proposed accommodation conflicts with another law or regulation.

Employers must permit employees to engage in religious expression, unless the religious expression would impose an undue hardship on the employer. Generally, an employer may not place more restrictions on religious expression than on other forms of expression that have a comparable effect on workplace efficiency.

Employers must take steps to prevent religious harassment of their employees. An employer can reduce the chance that employees will engage unlawful religious harassment by implementing an anti-harassment policy and having an effective procedure for reporting, investigating and correcting harassing.

Many lawyers claim to have employment law experience. Also, some law firms try to have it both ways and represent employers and employees. Our loyalty is simple – we represent employees.

The attorneys at Douglas, Leonard & Garvey have years of experience in representing victims of religious discrimination. Many lawyers claim to have experience in religious discrimination cases. It is important to choose a skilled and experienced employment lawyer who frequently represents victims of religious discrimination. Our guide, How to Choose an Employment Lawyer, provides answers to some questions you may have about hiring the right attorney for your case. Our Video Library or FAQ may answer more of your questions.

With our years of experience representing religious discrimination victims we will get you through the legal process and fight for your rights. Please call us for a free and confidential consultation at 1-800-240-1988 or complete our contact form online.