All employees in New York are protected from discrimination. New York has some stringent laws in this area, and there are also laws at a federal level, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This protects workers from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age and religion.
Unfortunately, discrimination can still occur. Companies must work to prevent it and deal with it promptly should it arise. One of the most common forms of discrimination is religious discrimination. This can take place in several ways, as outlined below.
Discrimination at early stages
While discrimination often occurs after a person has been employed, it can happen before that. Not considering someone for a job role due to their religious beliefs is a form of workplace discrimination.
Discrimination during employment
Religious discrimination during employment can take several forms. However, the common theme is adverse treatment based on religious beliefs. For instance, a person may be paid less than workers of a different or no religion. A religious individual may be harassed, either through verbal abuse or even physical abuse, based on their faith. In some cases, an individual may even be fired because of their religious practices. This is both discrimination and wrongful termination.
Discrimination can be indirect
So far, only direct discrimination has been examined. But, religious discrimination can also be indirect. Indirect discrimination occurs when policies apply to everyone, but only adversely impact the members of a particular religious group.
One way that this often happens is through dress codes. A dress code may apply to all workers, but only adversely impacts those who wear certain items as part of their religious observance.
Employees should not face any form of discrimination. Companies have a duty to prevent this to the best of their abilities. Seek legal guidance to find out more about the subject.