It's unlawful under the U.S. Civil Rights Act for employers to discriminate against individuals for their religious beliefs in all areas of employment practices, from hiring to termination. This federal law, which applies to all employers with 15 or more employees, also affirmatively requires employers to accommodate the religious beliefs and practices, within reason, of all employees or prospective employees, unless doing so creates an undue hardship for the employer. Reasonable accommodations may include flexible scheduling, job reassignments, and time off for religious observances. An employer, however, isn't expected to accept all financial responsibility when making an accommodation for an employee. For example, your employer might give you the day off to observe a religious holiday, but may do so without offering pay. Under the Act, employers must also refrain from scheduling examinations or other selection activities that come in conflict with an individual's religious needs or prohibiting any type of religious clothing or jewelry in the workplace. Nondiscriminatory dress codes, however, can be implemented. If you feel you've been unfairly denied an employment opportunity because of your religion, contact The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They're the government agency in charge of investigating claims of religious discrimination in the work place. Filing a complaint with them can be an effective way to resolve a legitimate religious discrimination claim.
