Workplace discrimination based on religion is unacceptable in any respect. This is especially true in times of tense political climates. Read on to discover what constitutes religious discrimination at work and how a seasoned New York discrimination lawyer at Bell Law Group can offer support.
What actions constitute religious discrimination at work?
Religious discrimination at work may be subliminal or overt in nature. Regardless of how it is presented, federal and state laws alike find religious discriminatory actions to be illegal. Examples of such actions may include, but may not be limited to, the following:
- An employer may segregate your job position to one that does not have contact with customers due to actual or feared customer preference.
- A supervisor may refuse to make reasonable adjustments to your work environment so that you may properly observe your religious practices.
- A coworker may graffiti your workspace with religious slurs.
- A customer, client, or third-party vendor may consistently direct religious slurs toward you.
Overall, if you reasonably find that certain actions turn your work environment into a hostile one, then they may constitute religious discrimination.
How might the Israel-Hamas war spark workplace discrimination?
If you are Jewish or Muslim, you may, understandably so, fear that you may be made the victim of workplace discrimination due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The commissioner of the United States Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Andrea Lucas, addressed these understandable fears in a recent LinkedIn post. Lucas stated that the EEOC, “…stands ready to defend the rights of Jewish employees…” who experience discrimination at work at this time. Further, Lucas stated that the agency also offers resources to help employers identify and address harassment that their Muslim employees may be facing.
Nonetheless, as a Jewish or Muslim worker, you must take corrective action if you are faced with any sort of discriminatory action. Such corrective action may consist of the following:
- You must report any incident of Jewish or Muslim discrimination to your employer’s Human Resources department, whether you were the victim or simply a witness.
- You must request that your employer revisit its workplace anti-harassment policies to ensure that Jewish and Muslim employees are adequately protected in this current climate.
- You must request that your employer offer additional assistance programs and mental health services to Jewish and Muslim employees affected by this current climate.
Ultimately, you may find it necessary to reach out for the support of a competent New York discrimination lawyer. You may just learn that you have a serious legal case to seize. You must not jeopardize your potential workplace discrimination claim in any way. So please retain the services of the team at Bell Law Group as soon as you possibly can.
