Current events have placed a great deal of scrutiny on members of certain religions, and unfortunately some Americans believe that they are being good, patriotic citizens by launching a crusade against those who follow these religions. It is important to remember that the Constitution affords all citizens freedom of speech, meaning that American citizens are well within their rights to voice criticisms or concerns against a religious demographic. However, this freedom does not extend to how individuals are treated, particularly in the workforce.
In most instances, religion has very little place in the workforce, and many people are able to coexist and perform the functions of their job without having to worry too much about how they will get along from a religious standpoint. Hopefully, workers will not face discrimination because of their religious beliefs. Unfortunately, with tensions running as high as they are, one can never be too certain. It is rapidly approaching the point where the color of your skin, the clothing you wear and even the design of your facial hair may cause someone to treat you unjustly.
The good news is that there are still many federal and state laws designed to ensure that religious discrimination in the workplace is illegal. This means that if someone mistreats you because of your religious beliefs, you can take legal action against that person to make them stop. Depending on the circumstances, you could even recover compensation for any distress or anguish the harassment caused you.
California has many state laws designed to ensure that employees are protected from harassment, mistreatment and discrimination of any kind, and this extends to religious discrimination. If you believe that you are suffering discrimination based on your religion, or based on your perceived religion, consider meeting with an attorney to learn how you can take advantage of your rights to protect yourself.