What is Workplace Harassment?
Workplace harassment is a non-sexual form of harassment at work, which can include harassment based on a person’s religion. This type of behavior falls under the umbrella of a “hostile work environment,” and religious harassment is defined by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act as the following:
- An employee is subjected to unwelcome comments or conduct at work
- The harassment is based on the employee’s religion
- The harassment is either severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of their employment and create a hostile working environment
It is important to note that a single incident or insensitive remark is not enough to rise to the level of a hostile work environment. The comments or conduct must be continuous (pervasive) or so severe in a single instance that it resulted in substantial humiliation or a threat to the employee’s safety and wellbeing in order to qualify as religious harassment in the workplace.
Who Can Commit Religious Harassment?
Religious harassment can be committed by anyone in a workplace, not just a supervisor. A hostile work environment caused by religious harassment can be caused by a manager, coworkers, vendors, clients, customers, and other staff. An employer can be held liable in a religious harassment lawsuit if they were made aware of the harassment and were negligent in their response. In short, the employer must have known that the religious harassment was taking place and failed to take reasonable steps to stop it.
Compensation for a Religious Harassment Claim
Employees who bring a claim for religious harassment in the workplace may be entitled to compensation for the physical, emotional, and psychological harm caused by the events. Damages can include compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and expenses for attorneys’ fees and court costs. If the trauma from the religious harassment at work manifests itself in physical symptoms that require medical treatment, those costs can also be covered in a religious harassment claim. To learn more about what compensation you may be entitled to with a California religious harassment claim, talk to our office today.
Call or Contact Our Walnut Creek Religious Harassment Lawyers
The freedom of religion is one of the basic tenets that the United States was founded upon, and you deserve the right to practice your religion in peace without being subjected to harassment in the workplace. If you or someone you know is dealing with a hostile work environment because of religious harassment the experienced Walnut Creek religious harassment attorneys at Venardi Zurada, LLP are here to help. Call the office at (833) 893-6763 or contact us today to speak with one of our Walnut Creek employment lawyers and schedule a consultation of your case now.
