Legal news reports that a federal religious discrimination lawsuit has just been filed against Dunkin Doughnuts. According to the lawsuit, a franchise refused to hire a North Carolina man who could not work Saturdays due to his religious beliefs. The man is a Seventh Day Adventist.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits religious discrimination. This means that your employer may not discriminate against you based on your religious beliefs and may not harass you because of your beliefs. Your employer is also prohibited from retaliating against you for participating in someone else’s discrimination case.
In practical terms, this means that if your religion requires you to take certain days off to attend services or otherwise practice your faith, or wear certain clothing while in the workplace, your employer must take steps to reasonably accommodate you. This may include allowing you to take those days off or modifying dress code requirements as long as it doesn’t place an undue burden on your employer.
If you have questions about religious discrimination or believe that you
may have been discriminated against based on your religious beliefs or
practices, consulting with an experienced
Atlanta religious discrimination lawyer is important to determine your next steps.
In this instance, the complaint asserted that the man applied for a job
as a donut maker at the Citi Brands’ manufacturing plant in Arden,
North Carolina. After being accepted for the position, he was told to
show up the next day for work – a Friday at 3pm. The man stated
that due to his religious beliefs, he could not start work on a Friday
afternoon. Seventh Day Adventists observe Sabbath from Friday sunset until
Saturday sunset.
Religious discrimination may apply to several different types of actions – including firing, failing to promote, as well as not hiring due to religious preferences.
For more information, or if you believe that you have suffered any type of religious discrimination at your workplace, please contact the top Georgia employment discrimination lawyers at Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP, LLC for an immediate case evaluation.