Understanding Religious Harassment and Discrimination in San Francisco
Religious harassment is a form of religious discrimination, which is unlawful under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). To understand what kinds of actions can constitute religious harassment, it is important to understand how federal and state law define religious discrimination more broadly.
According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), religious discrimination refers to any unfavorable treatment of a job applicant or employee due to that person’s religious beliefs. It is very important to know that the law protects a person’s religious belief when they are connected to what the EEOC describes as “traditional, organized religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.” But in addition, the EEOC makes clear, job applicants and employees also have these protections when they “have sincerely held religious, ethical, or moral beliefs.” Unlawful religious discrimination also includes unfavorable treatment or harassment because of an employee’s ties to another person who is of a particular religion. If you have been subjected to religious harassment or discrimination in the workplace, for an assessment of your rights and legal options, you should speak to an employment attorney.
What is Religious Harassment in San Francisco Workplaces?
Religious harassment is one type of religious discrimination. In order for religious harassment to be unlawful, it must rise to the level of creating a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment exists when the religious harassment is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would find it to be intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
Generally speaking, incidents that involve “petty slights, annoyances, and isolated incidents” involving religious harassment will not rise to the level of creating a hostile work environment. Rather, the harassment must usually be pervasive, or a single incident of marked severity. Some examples of unlawful religious harassment might include, for example:
- Offensive jokes about a religion;
- Religious slurs;
- Threats against a person or people of a particular religious;
- Mocking certain religious practices; or
- Displaying offensive images about a particular religion.
It is important to know that religious harassment claims can be filed by the targeted person, as well as by other people in the workplace affected by the hostile work environment. It is also important to know that the harasser may be an employer or co-worker, as well as other third parties such as clients or customers, or even businesses providing goods or services to the workplace.
Reach Out to Our San Francisco Religious Harassment Lawyers
If you have experienced any form of religious harassment or religious discrimination, you should seek legal advice from an advocate at Venardi Zurada LLP as soon as possible. Contact our experienced San Francisco religious harassment lawyer today to discuss the details of your case and your options for filing a claim. Call us at (833) 893-6763 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
