The New York City religious discrimination attorneys of Risman & Risman, P.C. are dedicated to protecting your rights and ensuring that your freedom to practice your religion is respected in the workplace.
Federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law, all prohibit employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion. These laws protect both religious belief and religious practice, and they apply to all stages of employment — from hiring to termination.
These laws make it unlawful for an employer to make any employment decision based on an employee’s religious beliefs or practices. An employer may not refuse to hire someone because of their religion, impose stricter promotion requirements, enforce unequal workplace policies, or subject an employee to harassment because of their beliefs. Employers also cannot retaliate against employees for requesting or using a religious accommodation. Protections apply to sincerely held religious beliefs, whether part of an organized religion or a personal, moral, or ethical belief system.
For example, an employer is prohibited from refusing to hire individuals of a certain religion, may not impose stricter promotion requirements for persons of a certain religion and may not impose more or different work requirements on an employee because of his/her religious beliefs or practices. Further, employees cannot be forced to participate, or not participate, in a religious activity as a condition of employment.
Employers Must Reasonably Accommodate Religious Practices
Under New York State and City law, employers must reasonably accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious practices unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense for the employer. In New York City, employers are also required to engage in a good faith “cooperative dialogue” with the employee to explore potential accommodations. Examples may include adjusting work schedules to avoid conflicts with religious observance, modifying dress codes to allow religious attire or grooming, or permitting prayer breaks during the workday.
Contact a Seasoned and Qualified Religious Discrimination Attorney
Religious discrimination can also occur in subtle ways, such as consistently assigning less desirable shifts to an employee because of their faith, excluding them from meetings or opportunities, or making derogatory comments about religious practices. These situations can be just as unlawful as overt acts of discrimination.
If you believe you have been treated unfairly or denied opportunities because of your religion, the laws in New York exist to protect you. The experienced religious discrimination attorneys at Risman & Risman, P.C. are ready to discuss your situation and help you understand your rights. There is no charge for the consultation. Call us at (212) 233-6400 or contact us online.
