The Noble Law is an employment law firm with offices in North Carolina and South Carolina. We help clients navigate issues of workplace discrimination, including wage discrimination. While pay discrimination is illegal in the United States, it still happens. You have the right to be paid fairly and equally for your work, regardless of sex, race, color, disability, nation of origin, religion, or age. If you are currently experiencing wage discrimination or any other kind of workplace discrimination, our employment law attorneys can help. Contact The Noble Law in North Carolina or South Carolina to schedule a consultation.
Religious discrimination and bias are pervasive. In the current, extreme socio-political climate, certain groups and individuals have become emboldened to express, for example, anti-Semitic or Islamophobic statements. However, there is no room for these sentiments under Federal and North Carolina State Law. Our country was founded on principles of religious freedom, and every American has the right to be free from all manner of religious workplace discrimination. If you have experienced harassment or discriminatory treatment due to your religious or spiritual beliefs, please contact The Noble Law to learn more about your legal rights.
What Qualifies as Religious Harassment?
Examples of religious harassment in the workplace include:
- Repeated offensive jokes, slurs, or comments about an employee’s religion or lack thereof
- Mocking or criticizing religious clothing or grooming, such as a headscarf, turban, cross, or yarmulke
- Pressuring an employee to participate in religious activities that conflict with their beliefs
- Retaliation after requesting reasonable religious accommodations (e.g., prayer breaks or time off for observances)
- Isolating or excluding an employee because of their religion—or lack thereof
The Legal Threshold for a Hostile Work Environment
In determining whether a workplace has become unlawfully hostile, courts generally consider whether the conduct was unwelcome, based on religion, and severe or pervasive enough to alter the terms and conditions of employment.
They evaluate factors such as:
- How frequently the conduct occurred
- Whether it was physically threatening or humiliating
- Whether it unreasonably interfered with the employee’s ability to do their job
Employers have a legal obligation to prevent and address such harassment. Failure to do so may result in liability under federal and state employment laws. If you report religious harassment and your employer responds with negative actions, such as lowering your performance reviews, taking away responsibilities, or terminating your position, those actions may amount to unlawful retaliation.
We are hardworking and dedicated employment lawyers. When you retain our services, you will find immediate legal and emotional support. We will always value your insights and goals for resolution. We prefer to keep an open line of communication between our clients and our North Carolina Religious Discrimination Attorneys, and we will support you from consultation to investigation, filing a charge, and recovering damages.
North Carolina and Federal Law prohibits workplace discrimination based on religious grounds
Protection against employee religious discrimination is found within Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which considers religion a protected class. The law states that religious discrimination occurs when a job applicant or employee is treated differently on the basis of their religious faith. The North Carolina Equal Employment Practices Act (NCEEPA) also sets forth the public policy of the State of NC that private employers with 15 or more employees are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on- among other protected groups- religion.
Spotting religious discrimination in the workplace
Religious discrimination can manifest in the workplace in different ways and may include:
Religious Harassment
Though an isolated teasing or offhand remark may not rise to the level of harassment, such treatment is illegal if the frequency or severity of the comments creates a hostile work environment. Further, it does not matter if the offender is your supervisor , co-worker, client, customer, or vendor, but in some instances the law may require you to report the harassment internally in order to preserve any claims you might have. It requires some investigation to determine whether the treatment meets the threshold of harassment. However, “isolated” events are often indicative of a much more sinister culture.
Segregation based on religious affiliation
Unfair occupational segregation occurs when employees are segregated based on their beliefs, practices, or grooming. Examples include assigning an employee to a non-public-facing role because they wear a Muslim hijab, a yarmulke, a dastār, (an item of headwear associated with Sikhism) or other religious garb. It is irrelevant whether employers do this because of actual or feared client preferences.
Refusal to accommodate religious beliefs
A religious accommodation is any adjustment to the workplace that allows you to practice your faith–if it does not create an undue hardship for your employer. According to the EEOC:
Examples of some common religious accommodations include flexible scheduling, voluntary shift substitutions or swaps, job reassignments, and modifications to workplace policies or practices.
For example, an employer can offer flexibility to an employee’s schedule, so it does not conflict with a Sabbath day observance. If you have submitted a written request for accommodation that would not create an undue hardship for your employer or if the request was simply not taken seriously, it’s important to document the interaction and bring it to your attorney’s attention.
More examples of religious discrimination
Other forms of bias are commonly linked to faith-based prejudice. For example, a remark can impugn an individual’s religion and national origin. Such treatment can provide simultaneous grounds for a claim of discrimination by ethnic origin and religion under federal and North Carolina law.
Evidence of an employer’s violation of religious discrimination laws may appear in virtually any area of your job, including:
- Pay
- Hiring
- Firing
- Training
- Promotions
- Assignments
- Fringe benefits
- Layoff/Furlough
Can I Complain About Religious Discrimination at Work?
Yes, you can. If you are experiencing religious discrimination in the workplace, have lost your job, been denied accommodations, or have missed a promotion, you are well within your rights to make your concerns known to your employer and report them to state and federal authorities.
Standing up for yourself against discrimination in the workplace is an exercise of your rights. Further, any form of retaliation by your employer, in addition to the discriminatory act itself, forms the basis for a separate charge. It is important to take swift action because there are strict statutes of limitation regarding such claims.
What You Can Do If You’re Facing Religious Harassment at Work
It can feel deeply isolating to face this kind of treatment at work. Start by documenting what happened: note the dates, times, words used, and any witnesses who may have observed the behavior. Keep copies of emails or other communications that show discriminatory conduct or retaliation.
If possible, report the harassment to your employer. This may involve submitting a written complaint to Human Resources, a supervisor, or through an internal reporting system. Keep a record of your report and any responses you receive. Employers are legally required to investigate and take corrective action when unlawful harassment is reported.
If your employer ignores your complaint, fails to address the issue, or retaliates against you for making a complaint, it may be time to speak with an employment attorney. A consultation with The Noble Law can help you understand your rights and determine the next steps for protecting your career and your well-being.
The Impact of Religious Discrimination on Employees
Religious discrimination affects more than job performance—it takes a real toll on a person’s mental and emotional health. Constant exposure to bias or harassment can lead to anxiety, depression, chronic stress, or other debilitating symptoms. You may begin to question your value, your sense of belonging, or feel pressure to hide parts of your identity just to get through the day.
Over time, this emotional strain can result in physical symptoms like fatigue, sleep disruption, and other stress-related conditions.
The professional consequences can also be serious. Religious bias can quietly undermine an employee’s growth and advancement. Workers may be passed over for promotions, given poor evaluations, or excluded from projects because they “don’t quite fit.” In more overt cases, employees are disciplined or even terminated after requesting religious accommodations or reporting harassment.
No one should have to choose between honoring their faith and building their career. The Noble Law helps employees hold employers accountable when their religious rights are violated.
Intersectionality in Religious Discrimination
Religious discrimination rarely happens in isolation. For many employees, it intersects with other forms of bias, such as race, gender, ethnicity, or national origin. These overlapping experiences can make discrimination more complex and more damaging.
For example, a Muslim woman may face both gender-based bias and religious harassment, or a Black employee who practices a minority faith may experience discrimination tied to both race and religion. When these identities intersect, the emotional and professional harm can be compounded.
At The Noble Law, we understand that religious discrimination is not always straightforward. Our attorneys take the time to listen to your story, consider every aspect of your experience, and provide trusted counsel for workplace disputes, no matter how sensitive the situation may be.
Moving Past Religious Harassment in the Workplace
If you believe you’ve been treated unfairly at work because of your religion or religious practices, you do not have to face it alone. The Noble Law can help you understand your rights, explore your legal options, and take action to protect your career and peace of mind.
We listen. We hear you. We understand.
Call and Schedule a Confidential Consultation
Religious discrimination is against the law in the workplace. It is demeaning and harmful. If you are being subjected to such treatment, please contact us at the Noble Law to schedule a confidential consultation. We are ready to listen, and we want to help.