Religious Discrimination
Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a similar state law make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee on the basis of the employee’s religion or religious beliefs in connection with hiring, firing, promotions, demotions, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment. These laws also prohibit religious harassment. Additionally, they make it unlawful to retaliate against an employee for complaining about religious discrimination or opposing an employment practice that discriminates based on one’s religion.
Under Title VII and the corresponding state law, an employer must reasonably accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious practices unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer’s legitimate business operations. For example, an employer might need to allow time for prayer in some cases.
Title VII and the corresponding state law cover employers with 15 or more employees. Religious discrimination claims must usually be filed with the EEOC or the TWC before an employee can file a lawsuit. A good Austin religious discrimination lawyer will have extensive knowledge and experience in all of these areas. We do.
What We Can Do If You Are An Employer
It’s a minefield out there. We can help you navigate it with confidence. Because this is a complicated area of the law, an employer would be well-advised to have an experienced Austin religious discrimination lawyer draft or review their policies for appropriate legal compliance and make recommendations to minimize litigation risks. We provide these services. We also conduct internal workplace investigations if a complaint has been made, or a problem is suspected. With respect to religious-related employment issues, we counsel and advise businesses; represent businesses when complaints are made against them to the EEOC, TWC or Department of Labor; prepare severance agreements; tenaciously represent businesses who are being sued in lawsuits, arbitrations and mediations; and handle almost any other employment issue you can imagine. We have been very successful in our representation of employers and we invite you to review the testimonials from several of the employers we have represented on employment matters. If you are an employer who would like to have an experienced and knowledgeable Austin religious discrimination attorney who has a long track record of success for employers on your side, contact us.
What We Can Do If You Are An Employee
Unfortunately, not all employers comply with the laws on religious discrimination. Being subjected to such discrimination can devastate one’s life and finances. If you believe you have been subjected to religious discrimination, we urge you to contact a knowledgeable, experienced and successful Austin religious discrimination attorney. A good Austin religious discrimination lawyer can explain the law in this area; advise you as to whether your employer has engaged in illegal conduct against you; advise you of your rights and options; intercede with your employer when appropriate; represent you before the TWC or EEOC; and aggressively prosecute your lawsuit if your case cannot be reasonably settled. We do all of these things and have done so for well over 20 years. We invite you to review the testimonials from some employees we have represented on employment matters. If you are an employee who would like to have an experienced and knowledgeable Austin religious discrimination lawyer with a long track record of success for employees on your side, contact us.