Federal employment discrimination laws, and related retaliation laws, date back to the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first federal law to prohibit race discrimination in employment. Five years later, the government passed the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 to enforce the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment and provide redress for discriminatory action taken by the government, but few people brought claims … [Read more...]
Vaccination Mandates Test the Limits of Religious Exemption
Broad vaccine mandates by federal and state governments, large employers, and the health care industry have led to vigorous opposition from some employees claiming a sincerely held religious belief justifies exempting them from any vaccine requirement. A cottage industry has emerged in the form of religious leaders providing written support for the exemption, often for a fee. Employers are therefore required, in a manner never … [Read more...]
Discrimination Based on Religion is On the Rise
Discrimination based on religion has been prohibited by Title VII since its passage in 1964. Most states, including Minnesota, contain specific protections against religious discrimination. This includes protecting atheists or secular humanists from discrimination, as lack of religious faith has been interpreted to be protected against discrimination in the same manner as active faith. This protection extends to the Establishment Clause and … [Read more...]
EEOC Updates Religious Accommodation Compliance Manual
Federal and state laws protect employees from religious discrimination when it comes to hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment. Under Title VII, employers typically are required to accommodate an individual’s sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, and observances unless doing so would impose an “undue hardship” on the employer. One of the primary agencies with jurisdiction over … [Read more...]
