Your religious beliefs are sacred. And your employer shouldn’t treat you differently than other employees simply because you have a differing faith. That’s why there are state and federal protections that prohibit discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation. These protections are broad, too, safeguarding those who belong to traditional religions as well as those who have any sort of sincerely held religious beliefs. These protections can also protect you from discrimination that occurs because you’re married to someone of a different religion with which your employer has an issue.
The impact of religious discrimination can be significant, too. Victims often suffer adverse employment actions like demotion, reduced hours, lower pay, and even termination. They are also sometimes traumatized by their experiences, which can create severe mental health issues. This is why it’s critically important that you act to bring religious discrimination to a stop and work hard to hold your employer accountable if you’ve been treated unfairly based on your religious beliefs.
Signs of religious discrimination in the workplace
Recognizing the signs of religious discrimination isn’t as easy as you might think. Because of this, many victims of discrimination fail to act on their rights and are harmed as a result. So, if you have even an inkling that religious discrimination may be in play in your case, then you should lookout for the following evidence that you may be able to use to build your case:
- Derogatory comments and jokes: If people in the workplace are consistently making fun of your religion or your religious beliefs, then you may find yourself in a hostile work environment. Be sure to take notes about what has been said to you in each instance.
- Missed opportunities: If you recognize that you and others of your faith are regularly passed up for promotional opportunities despite being more qualified than those who are ultimately chosen, then that may be indicative of discrimination.
- Exclusion from social gatherings: Most places of employment have social workplace events aimed at building camaraderie and a team-like atmosphere. But if you’re kept away from those events, then you might feel like you don’t belong and like the rest of the team doesn’t like you. This can also prevent you from building the relationships needed to advance in your career. As a result, your exclusion could deny you from team-building opportunities that you should be able to enjoy.
- Denied scheduling flexibility: Your employer should accommodate your scheduling requests to allow you to engage in religious activities and to recognize religious holidays. If they don’t, then that may be a clear sign that they’re engaging in discriminatory behavior.
- Retaliation: You should report religious discrimination when you suspect that it’s occurring. But if you suffer an adverse employment action in retaliation for reporting the behavior in question, then you’ll have a strong foundation upon which to rest your legal claim.
Don’t let your employer get away with religious discrimination
You deserve to be treated fairly in the workplace. But you should also expect that your employer is going to stray from the protections afforded to you. Therefore, you need to be on your toes, regularly looking for signs that you’ve been discriminated against. And if you believe that your employer has engaged in discrimination, then now is the time to consider legal action to find accountability and recover compensation for the harm that’s been caused to you. Hopefully then you can right the wrongs that have been done to you, get your career back on track and reclaim your normal life.
