It’s illegal for workers in the United States to be discriminated against because of their religion. Freedom of religion means that you have the right to be able to practice your personal religious beliefs without having to suffer discrimination or harassment in the workplace.
Whether you have a specific religious belief or no religion at all, you are protected by these anti-discrimination laws. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in the workplace due to the religion that you have or are perceived to have, it is important that you fully understand the law so that you can take the appropriate action.
What is considered to be a religion under the law?
You do not need to practice a religion in order to be considered religious in the workplace. Any set of beliefs, regardless of whether these beliefs fall under a traditional or organized religion such as Hinduism or Christianity, is defined as a religion in this legal context.
What counts as religious discrimination under the law?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in the workplace due to religion. This means that an employer cannot make decisions about the general treatment, hiring, firing or promotion of a worker based on their religious beliefs. This also means that a worker cannot make employment decisions based on beliefs that the employee holds in general.
Can I be a victim of religious discrimination even if I have no religion at all?
It is possible to be a victim of religious discrimination even if you have no religion at all. For example, if you consider yourself to be atheist or you simply do not believe in any religion and you attend a job interview, you’ll expect to be asked only work-related questions. However, if the interviewer asks whether you are Christian and states that they are interested in hiring other Christians, this is a clear sign that discrimination is taking place because the employer is favoring those of a particular religion over everyone else.
If you believe that your career has suffered due to religious discrimination in the workplace, take swift action to make sure that you are able to obtain the compensation that you deserve.