Observing a religion may require attending weekly services or honoring specific holidays. Employees sometimes need to ask businesses to accommodate their religious observances. For example, retail professionals might need to work on weekends when attending a religious service might be necessary to remain in good standing with their religious community.
Do businesses have an obligation to accommodate religious observances when scheduling workers?
Do requests create business hardship?
Generally speaking, employers across the United States have to respect the right of religious freedom extended to everyone in the country. Provided that employees provide appropriate advanced notice of any scheduling restrictions or leave needs related to religious practices, employers should make reasonable attempts to accommodate them.
The frequency with which workers require special consideration and even the number of employees at the company can influence whether scheduling restrictions create an undue hardship. Provided that the company is able to operate without sustaining major losses or facing increased liability due to scheduling restrictions, employers should allow workers to take time off to attend services or honor holy days.
When employers do not reasonably accommodate workers who need time away from work to attend services or honor their faith, refuse accommodations or punish workers for requesting them, that could constitute religious discrimination. Workers can take legal action to challenge negative employment decisions or request compensation for the economic impact the discrimination may have had.
Employees with documentation of inappropriate religious discrimination may have grounds to take legal action. Reviewing scheduling requests and employer responses with a skilled legal team can help professionals determine if they experienced unlawful religious discrimination at work.