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Religious Discrimination Attorney

New York Religious Discrimination Attorneys

Employment laws protect your right to practice your religion. If your employer is discriminating against you based on your religion or refusing to make reasonable accommodations for your religious beliefs, you should contact the New York religious discrimination attorneys at Phillips & Associates.

Under federal, state, and local law, your religious beliefs have substantial protections in the workplace. Religion in the employment setting includes not only established religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or Buddhism, but also sincerely held ethical, personal, or religious beliefs. Employers are not allowed to discriminate based on religion, which means that employers cannot refuse to hire, deny promotions, fire people, or take other adverse employment actions that are driven by animosity towards an individual’s religion. Company policies that have the effect of discriminating against all people of a particular religion may also be found to violate the law.

Sometimes religious discrimination claims are based on a hostile work environment. Where individuals are singled out and repeatedly harassed or subjected to disparaging remarks based on their religion, a hostile work environment may exist. Harassment of this sort does not need to be done by management; co-workers or even customers can create a hostile environment where management does nothing to address a known problem. Derogatory remarks about “ragheads,” “Bible thumpers” and the like are evidence that a hostile work environment may be present.

If you have experienced discrimination due to your religious beliefs, do not hesitate to contact Phillips & Associates, PLLC at (866) 229-9441 or via online form.

Employers Must Provide Reasonable Accommodations for Religious Practices

Accommodations are often at issue in religious discrimination cases. Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees’ religious practices, but do not need to provide accommodations where it would create an undue hardship for the employer. Sometimes practices that are impermissible to someone of a particular religion are required by an employer, such as working on the Sabbath, wearing cocktail dresses or other particular attire, or requiring grooming of facial hair. Sometimes these are bona fide qualifications of the job that the employer is entitled to require, but in other cases there are accommodations that can easily be made without any detriment to the employer. Accommodation issues also often arise with scheduling around particular religious observances.

Under the federal Civil Rights Act, an undue hardship for purposes of accommodation is interpreted to mean anything that has more than a minimal cost to the employer. New York City’s Human Rights Law was recently amended to strengthen the definition of undue hardship. A proposed accommodation will be found to work an undue hardship under New York City law only if it requires significant expense or difficulty to the employer. This standard should make for more reasonable accommodations of religious practices by employers in New York City.

How Can I Prove Religious Discrimination At My Job?

To prove religious discrimination at your job in New York, gathering comprehensive evidence is essential.

Below are some steps you can take:

  1. Document Incidents: Keep a record of all incidents of discrimination by documenting the dates, times, locations, and particulars of each incident.
  2. Collect Evidence: Collect emails, messages, and documents to back up your discrimination claim.
  3. Obtain Witness Statements: To strengthen your case, seek statements from colleagues who witnessed the discriminatory behavior.
  4. Consult Legal Experts: For an assessment of your case and guidance on your legal options, get in touch with a New York religious discrimination attorney at Phillips & Associates, PLLC.

Religious discrimination attorneys will help you understand your rights and guide you through filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or pursuing legal action. For skilled guidance, contact Phillips & Associates, PLLC via online form or call (866) 229-9441.

Protect Your Rights Against Religious Discrimination

Religious discrimination in the workplace is illegal and can have serious consequences for employees. If you believe you have been discriminated against based on your religious beliefs or practices, it is important to seek legal guidance to protect your rights.

At Phillips & Associates, PLLC, our team of experienced New York religious discrimination attorneys is dedicated to fighting for justice on behalf of employees who have faced discrimination in the workplace. We understand the complexities of religious discrimination cases and will work tirelessly to ensure that your rights are upheld.

Our services include:

  • Evaluating your case to determine if you have been a victim of religious discrimination
  • Providing legal representation in negotiations with your employer
  • Filing a lawsuit if necessary to seek justice and compensation for the harm you have suffered

Don't let religious discrimination go unaddressed. Contact Phillips & Associates, PLLC to schedule a consultation with our experienced New York religious discrimination attorneys.

Contact New York Religious Discrimination Attorneys Phillips & Associates

If your employer refuses to provide you with a reasonable accommodation of your religious beliefs, or you are subjected to harassment or discrimination based on your religion, you should consult with the New York religious discrimination attorneys at Phillips & Associates. We understand the sensitive nature of religious issues in the workplace. 

While you may not want your religion to interfere with your work, you should not have to compromise your beliefs in order to fit in with your employer. Contact our office today for a free, confidential consultation at (866) 229-9441.

Discrimination Lawyer Success

MORE THAN $250 MILLION RECOVERED FOR PAST CLIENTS
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    Won a substantial $1.8 million verdict in the Southern District of New York for John Pardovani, with $800,000 in compensatory damages and $1,000,000 in punitive damages. This result was led by Jesse S. Weinstein and Gregory W. Kirschenbaum.

  • $2.2 Million Race Discrimination & Retaliation

    Secured a landmark $2.2 million verdict in Rosas v. Balter Sales, et al., affirming justice for race discrimination and retaliation in 2015. Led by Greg Kirschenbaum.

  • $1.4 Million Religious & Sexual Orientation Discrimination

    Achieved a groundbreaking $1.4 million verdict in 2012 for a chef facing religious and sexual orientation discrimination, marking the highest employment law verdict of the year. Bryan Arce was instrumental in this win.

  • $280 Thousand Race Discrimination

    Secured a pivotal ruling in New York where a federal jury declared that the use of the N-word in the workplace is never acceptable, reinforcing workplace equality and respect.