Thanks to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Americans have the right to observe and practice the religion of their choice without persecution or discrimination. Despite this right, everyone knows that religion-based workplace discrimination still happens in Detroit and likely every other U.S. city or town as well. The fact that it is against the law to engage in workplace discrimination does not necessarily put a stop to this widespread issue.
Two main problems can deter people from taking action against religious discrimination in the workplace. The sections below will discuss these problems and explain how an employment law attorney can help.
Uncertainty: Workplace discrimination wears many disguises. Often, it is hidden so well that people are simply not sure if they are suffering discrimination. For example, say a supervisor is repeatedly finding faults or flaws in your work. You feel you are doing your job correctly, but you may also wonder if you are indeed coming up short. Unfortunately, negative feedback can affect your chance of getting a raise or a promotion, which makes the issue even worse.
If you speak with an attorney about the issue, he or she can advise you about how best to approach the situation. A lawyer can also help you collect evidence to prove or disprove your suspicions about discrimination.
Fear: You probably need your job to survive and thrive. If you initiate a workplace discrimination claim, you may fear that your job will disappear. After all, many people get fired for seemingly ordinary and legal reasons even when discrimination is the true catalyst.
Advice from an attorney is crucial. You will also learn how a lawyer can help protect you from further workplace discrimination as well as wrongful termination.
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Religious Discrimination,” accessed May 17, 2017
