What is discrimination on the basis of religion under Title VII?

Religious discrimination is intentional conduct or policies that treat or affect individuals differently based upon their religious beliefs or affiliations. This includes any of the intentional discrimination, such as failing to hire, firing, or allowing different benefits. 

What is required to show discrimination based upon religion?

An employers policy may have a discriminatory impact if it unduly affects certain employees ability to observe or practice their religion in the workplace. 

Employers must generally make reasonable accommodations for the religious needs or practices of their employees. 

The limitation on accommodating religious beliefs or practices is when it results in an undue hardship on the employer. 

Undue hardships generally result from a material disruption in job performance or business operations.

Note: A well-founded exception to the religious accommodation rule is that religious organizations may discriminate in their employment practices on the basis of religion. This is a form of business necessity. For example, a church may refuse to hire a non-Christian based upon the difference in religious belief. This exception exists to accommodate the business purpose of religious organizations.

Example: Mays religion requires her to wear a headdress. Her employer bans the wearing of any headwear during the workday. Unless the employer has a valid business necessity for limiting headdresses, the policy may violate Mays religious rights under Title VII. The court would examine whether allowing an exception for May would be an undue burden on the employer.

Related Topics

• Employment Discrimination (Intro)
• What is Employment Discrimination?
• Glass Ceiling
• What are the major Employment Discrimination laws?
• Civil Rights Act of 1866 (1981 Actions)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• The Rehabilitation Act
• Job Accommodation Network
• Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Uniform Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
• Sexual Orientation and Identification
• What is Affirmative Action?
• What is employment discrimination protection under state law?
• Overview of Title VII (Civil Rights Act of 1964)
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
• What is employment discrimination under Title VII?
• How are Title VII protections enforced?
• Wrongful Termination Claim
• Disparate Treatment
• Disparate Impact
• What is race discrimination under Title VII?
• What is national origin discrimination under Title VII?
• What is religious discrimination Under Title VII?
• What is sex discrimination under Title VII?
• What is sexual harassment or Hostile work environment under Title VII?
• Quid Pro Quo
• What is pregnancy discrimination under Title VII?
• Equal Pay Act of 1963