You may have heard about the Supreme Court’s most recent ruling that makes it all the more difficult for employers to deny religious accommodations to their employees. But you may not understand how its exact implications may apply to your situation. Continue reading to learn more about this ruling and how an experienced employment discrimination attorney in Gloucester County, NJ, at The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C., can help if you are not granted a certain religious accommodation.
What is the most recent Supreme Court ruling on religious accommodations in the workplace?
First of all, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees when they have sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances that conflict with work requirements, so long as the accommodation does not create an undue hardship.
But now, the most recent Supreme Court ruling has made it more difficult for employers to claim an “undue hardship.” That is, the Court ruled that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantially increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business.
In the end, what may be classified as an undue hardship is contingent on the workplace and the accommodation request at hand. Factors that must be considered are as follows:
- The employer’s nature and operating costs.
- The employer’s financial resources.
- The number of employees at an employer’s organization (i.e., 15 or more employees).
- The nature and cost of the requested accommodation.
- The impact of the requested accommodation on fellow employees.
- The potential safety implications of the requested accommodation.
What should I do if I am not granted a religious accommodation?
Say, for instance, that you previously submitted a religious accommodation request with your employer. But say that they denied it by claiming that it would create an undue hardship for the business operations.
Well in the present day, with the Supreme Court’s most recent ruling, you may now believe that your request would not be classified as an undue hardship. If this is your case, then you may want to go back to your employer and ask them to reconsider their decision in light of the new standard now in place. You may want to emphasize that your request may impose little to no administrative costs, along with naming a fellow employee who agreed to swap shifts with you.
And if your employer still denies your request, then it may be in your best interest to pursue legal action against them. Without further ado, there is no time like the present to get your legal case in order. So pick up the phone and call one of the skilled New Jersey employment lawyers from The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. today. We are looking forward to it.
