Is Religious Discrimination Unlawful When It Involves a Majority Religion?
Religious discrimination is unlawful under both state and federal law in Florida. What that means is that the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) prohibits discrimination against job applicants or employees on the basis of religion, and under federal law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits religious discrimination in the same circumstances. Whether you will want to file a claim under state or federal law will depend on the specific circumstances of your case, which you should always discuss in detail with an employment discrimination attorney. In the meantime, a common misconception about religious discrimination is that a person can only face discrimination if they are a member of a recognized, minority religion. In other words, there is a misunderstanding that is common about how state and federal laws prohibiting religious discrimination apply.
In short, you may be able to file a religious discrimination claim whether you are a member of a recognized majority religion in your area (which is often Christianity), a recognized minority religion, a less recognized religion, no religion at all, or even a sincerely held religious, ethical, or moral belief. Consider the following information from our South Florida religious discrimination lawyers.
Members of Recognized Majority Religions Can Face Unlawful Religious Discrimination
Often considered to be “reverse discrimination,” it is important to know that you can face unlawful religious discrimination in an employment context when you are the target of unfavorable treatment because of your belief in a recognized majority religion such as Christianity. While the most widely practiced religion shifts depending on your location, the Pew Research Center reports that about 62 percent of Americans actively define themselves as Christians, while only 7 percent identify themselves as members of other religions, and 29 percent say they are religiously unaffiliated.
If you are applying for a job or employed in a workplace where the majority of the business is atheist or agnostic, for example, or even Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist or Pagan, you could face discrimination as a practicing Christian (with Christianity including reference to all denominations, such as Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, or Pentecostal). It does not matter that you are a member of the most-practice religion in America — if you are being treated unfavorably because of your religion, then you could be facing unlawful religious discrimination.
Religious Discrimination Protections Are Broad
Under state and federal law, protections against religious discrimination are broad, applying to all aspects of employment from hiring and firing, to benefits and pay, to issues concerning harassment and religious segregation or accommodations.
Contact Our Palm Beach Gardens Religious Discrimination Attorneys for Assistance with Your South Florida Employment Discrimination Case
Religious discrimination is unlawful regardless of whether you are a member of a minority religious group, a majority religious group, or even a religious group that is not expressly recognized as such by your employer. If you experienced any type of religious discrimination in the job application process or as an employee, it is important to learn more about your rights and your eligibility to file a claim. You should get in touch with one of the experienced Palm Beach Gardens religious discrimination lawyers at Sconzo Law Office to discuss the specific details of your case and to determine whether you should move forward with your case under state law and the Florida Civil Rights Act or under federal law and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Contact us today for assistance with your case.
Sources:
pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/
eeoc.gov/religious-discrimination