Religious discrimination in the workplace is prohibited under both federal and state laws, yet many employees in New York continue to face bias, harassment, and denials of reasonable accommodations based on their religious beliefs or practices. If your employer has mistreated you due to your religion or refused to provide reasonable religious accommodations, you have legal rights and options. At Levine & Blit, our experienced New York religious discrimination lawyers aggressively advocate for employees who have been subjected to discriminatory behavior based on faith.
👉Also Read: Identifying Discrimination in the Workplace: Signs, Solutions, and Legal Remedies
What is Religious Discrimination in the Workplace?
Religious discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee unfavorably due to their religious beliefs, religious practices, or lack of religious observance. Discrimination can be direct, such as refusing to hire someone because of their religion, or indirect, such as enforcing workplace policies that disproportionately burden certain religious groups.
Religious discrimination can take many forms, including:
- Failure to Accommodate Religious Practices – An employer refuses to allow schedule adjustments, dress code exemptions, or other modifications to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs.
- Unequal Treatment – Employees of a certain religion are treated less favorably in hiring, promotions, pay, or discipline.
- Hostile Work Environment – Persistent religious harassment, offensive remarks, or pressure to abandon religious practices create a toxic workplace.
- Retaliation – An employer punishes an employee for requesting religious accommodations or complaining about religious discrimination.
👉Also Read: Direct And Indirect Discrimination: Legal Experts Lead The Charge Against Inequality
Legal Protections Against Religious Discrimination in New York
Federal Laws
Employees are protected against religious discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which applies to employers with 15 or more employees. Under Title VII:
- Employers cannot discriminate based on religion in any employment decision (hiring, firing, promotions, assignments, etc.).
- Employers must provide reasonable accommodations for employees’ religious practices unless doing so would create an “undue hardship.”
- Employers cannot retaliate against employees for requesting religious accommodations or reporting discrimination.
New York State and City Laws
New York has some of the strongest employment discrimination laws in the country.
- New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL): Protects employees at companies with four or more employees. It provides broader protections than federal law, covering more workers and requiring strong employer accountability.
- New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL): Applies to employers with four or more employees and is one of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the US. It requires employers to accommodate religious practices unless they can prove a significant hardship.
Key Difference: Unlike federal law, which requires employers to show only a minimal hardship to deny a religious accommodation, New York law requires employers to demonstrate a substantial hardship to justify denying a request.
What to Do If You Experience Religious Discrimination or an Accommodation Denial
Step 1: Document the Discrimination or Denial of Accommodation
If you believe you are being discriminated against due to your religion or an employer has denied your accommodation request, start gathering evidence:
- Keep a record of discriminatory comments, actions, or policies affecting you.
- Save all written communications (emails, memos, text messages) related to your requests or complaints.
- Note witness names who observed discriminatory behavior or can support your claims.
Step 2: Request a Religious Accommodation in Writing
If you need a religious accommodation (such as time off for religious holidays, modifications to dress codes, or prayer breaks), make a formal written request to your employer. Be sure to:
- Clearly state your religious belief or practice that requires accommodation.
- Explain how the accommodation would allow you to perform your job while following your faith.
- Offer potential solutions to minimize any disruption to business operations.
Under New York law, your employer must engage in a cooperative dialogue about your request. If they refuse without discussing alternatives, they’re violating your rights.
Step 3: File an Internal Complaint with Human Resources (HR)
If your employer refuses to accommodate your religion or discriminates against you, file a complaint with HR or your company’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office.
- Be specific about the discrimination or denial of accommodation.
- Request a written response from HR regarding the complaint.
- Follow up in writing if you do not receive a timely response.
Employers can’t retaliate against you for reporting discrimination. If you face retaliation (such as demotion, unfair discipline, or termination), document it and contact an attorney immediately.
Step 4: File a Legal Complaint with a Government Agency
If your employer does not resolve the issue, you can file a formal complaint with:
- New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) – For employees working in NYC.
- New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) – For employees statewide.
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – For federal claims.
New York City and State laws allow employees to file claims directly in court without first going through an agency, unlike federal law, which requires an EEOC complaint before suing.
How Our NYC Employment Discrimination Attorneys Will Prove Liability and Recover Compensation for You
Religious discrimination and accommodation denials in the workplace are illegal under federal, state, and New York City laws, yet many employees continue to face bias, hostility, and unfair treatment based on their faith. If your employer has refused to accommodate your religious practices, treated you unfairly because of your beliefs, or retaliated against you, you may have a strong legal case.
At Levine & Blit, our experienced religion discrimination attorneys in New York City will aggressively fight for your rights. We know how to prove religious discrimination claims, collect compelling evidence, and recover maximum compensation for you. Here’s how we’ll build your case and hold your employer accountable.
1. Conducting a Comprehensive Investigation into Your Claim
At Levine & Blit, our religious discrimination attorney will leave no stone unturned when gathering evidence to prove adverse employment actions based on faith or accommodation denials. Our New York City attorneys will:
- Review All Employer Policies – We’ll examine your company’s policies on religious accommodations and determine whether they’re compliant with federal, state, and city laws.
- Analyze Your Job History and Treatment – We’ll look for patterns of unfair treatment, such as being denied promotions, given undesirable assignments, or terminated after requesting accommodations.
- Examine Workplace Communications – We’ll collect emails, texts, and memos to uncover discriminatory remarks or unjustified rejections of accommodation requests.
- Obtain Witness Statements – If your coworkers or managers have witnessed discrimination or hostile behavior, their testimony can be critical in proving your case.
- Uncover Patterns of Discrimination – If your employer has a history of denying accommodations or discriminating against employees of a particular religion, we’ll use this to strengthen your claim.
2. Proving Religious Discrimination and Accommodation Denials
To win your case, we must prove that your employer engaged in unlawful discriminatory practices against a person’s religious beliefs (such as derogatory comments against religious institutions related to the employee’s faith. Here’s how we will establish your claim:
A. Proving Disparate Treatment Based on Religion
We will show that your employer treated you less favorably because of certain religious beliefs. This may include:
- Being denied promotions, pay raises, or training opportunities
- Receiving unfair discipline or negative performance evaluations
- Being excluded from meetings, projects, or networking opportunities
- Being harassed, ridiculed, or pressured to abandon religious practices
If your employer treated employees of other religions more favorably, we will use comparative evidence to prove bias.
B. Proving a Hostile Work Environment
Religious harassment in the workplace is illegal. If you were subjected to:
- Offensive comments or jokes about your religion
- Pressure to participate in religious or non-religious activities
- Derogatory remarks about your religious attire or customs
- Threats or retaliation for practicing your faith
We will gather witness testimonies, written complaints, and workplace policies to prove that your employer failed to stop the harassment.
C. Proving Denial of Reasonable Religious Accommodations
Under the law, your employer must provide reasonable accommodations for your religious beliefs unless they can prove a substantial hardship.
Common examples of reasonable religious accommodations include:
- Modifying work schedules for Sabbath observance or religious holidays
- Allowing religious attire such as hijabs, yarmulkes, or turbans
- Granting short prayer breaks during the workday
- Exempting employees from certain job duties that conflict with their religious beliefs
If your employer denied an accommodation without justification, we will prove they failed to comply with their legal obligations.
D. Proving Retaliation for Complaining About Religious Discrimination
If you were demoted, fired, or faced negative treatment after requesting a religious accommodation or filing a complaint, we’ll prove that your employer engaged in unlawful retaliation.
We’ll use:
- Timing evidence (showing that retaliation happened shortly after your complaint)
- Performance records (showing you were a good employee before retaliation)
- Internal complaints and responses from HR
3. Demanding Maximum Compensation for Your Losses
Religious discrimination can have serious emotional, financial, and professional consequences. Our attorneys at Levine & Blit will fight to recover every dollar you deserve.
Compensation We Will Pursue
Back Pay and Lost Wages – If you were wrongfully terminated, demoted, or lost out on bonuses and promotions due to religious discrimination, we’ll demand full wage recovery.
Emotional Distress Damages – Religious discrimination can cause significant psychological harm. We will seek damages for anxiety, depression, humiliation, and emotional suffering.
Punitive Damages – If your employer acted with malicious intent or engaged in severe discrimination, we will push for punitive damages to punish them and deter future violations.
Job Reinstatement (If Desired) – If you wish to return to your job, we can fight for reinstatement with full benefits and back pay.
Legal Fees and Costs – Under New York employment laws, your employer may be required to cover your legal expenses if they are found liable for workplace discrimination.
4. Aggressive Settlement Negotiations or Litigation
At Levine & Blit, we know how to leverage powerful evidence to negotiate a high-value settlement for your claim.
Settlement Negotiations
- We will demand a fair settlement that covers all your financial and emotional damages.
- If your employer tries to lowball you, we will escalate legal pressure and show that we are fully prepared to take your case to court.
Trial Preparation from Day One
If settlement negotiations do not result in a fair offer, we will take your case to trial. Our employment discrimination attorneys have a proven track record of winning tough religious discrimination cases through settlement negotiations or court battles.
We will:
- Present compelling witness testimony
- Use employment records, internal documents, and digital evidence
- Cross-examine your employer’s witnesses to expose contradictions
- Fight relentlessly to secure the maximum compensation you deserve
👉Also Read: What to do if You Didn’t Get The Job Because of Discrimination!
Get Strong Legal Representation from Our New York Religious Discrimination Lawyer
If you have faced discrimination against certain religious practices or accommodation denials at work, do not hesitate to seek legal help. Levine & Blit has a team of aggressive and experienced NYC employment discrimination lawyers who will fight for your rights and recover maximum compensation on your behalf. Your faith and beliefs should never cost you your job. Let Levine & Blit hold your employer accountable and fight for justice. Call us at 646-461-6838 for a free phone evaluation or contact us online.