You arrive at work, ready to do your job. What you do not expect is a remark about your religion, a stereotype that will not die, or a meme that lands like a threat. When bias turns into repeated harassment, it stops being a side note and becomes a serious workplace issue.

Across the country, and here in New York, anti-Jewish harassment has drawn increased attention. Under federal law, religion is protected, and the EEOC makes clear that slurs, stereotypes, or reprisals tied to Jewish identity can be unlawful. The agency’s resources also emphasize the duty to reasonably accommodate religious beliefs unless doing so causes undue hardship.

In New York, protections are even broader in practice. The NYC Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) asks a practical question: Were you treated less well because of a protected characteristic, including religion? New York courts recognize a narrow carve-out only for petty slights or trivial inconveniences; it is not a license to ignore bias. The New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) was amended in 2019 to similarly remove the old “severe or pervasive” hurdle; harassment can be unlawful if it subjects an employee to inferior terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, with a similar petty slight defense available to employers.

What does antisemitic harassment look like in the real world? It can be a “joke” about loyalty, a conspiracy-tinged meme, comments about religious attire (e.g., a kippah), or interference with observing holy days. NYC’s official materials underscore that discrimination based on actual or perceived religion is illegal, and employers must prevent and correct harassment not only in a conference room, but also in emails, chats, and meetings.

If you ask for a religious accommodation: time off for Yom Kippur, space to pray, permission to wear religious attire, and are then sidelined, denied promotion, or otherwise treated worse, that can violate the law. The EEOC’s guidance is explicit: an employer must consider reasonable accommodations and may not retaliate against you for requesting them. Retaliation is a standalone violation under federal, state, and city law. The Supreme Court’s Burlington Northern decision frames retaliation broadly: actions that would dissuade a reasonable worker from complaining are prohibited.

If this sounds familiar, if comments keep coming, if observance requests are mocked, or if speaking up made things worse, you do not have to wait for a termination of employment to act. New York’s standards are built to see context, patterns, and impact, not just headlines.

At Risman & Risman, P.C., we help New Yorkers turn lived experience into legal clarity: documenting what is happening, engaging the accommodation process the right way, and holding employers to the law: federal, state, and city. If your faith, or perceived faith, is becoming a target at work, we are here to listen and act. Contact us for a free confidential consultation by phone at 212-233-64000 or online.