EEOC ISSUES COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE ON RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION

New Compliance Manual Section Addresses Wide Range of Contemporary Workplace Issues

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity  Commission (EEOC) today issued a new Compliance Manual Section regarding workplace discrimination on the basis of religion.

The Section includes a comprehensive review of the relevant provisions of Title VII  of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the EEOC’s policies regarding religious  discrimination, harassment and accommodation.  The EEOC also issued a companion question-and-answer fact sheet and best practices booklet. All three documents  are available on the agency’s web site at www.eeoc.gov.

“Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964  seeks to ensure that applicants and employees enjoy the freedom to compete,  advance and succeed in the workplace, irrespective of their religious beliefs,” said EEOC Chair Naomi C. Earp. “This Compliance Manual Section serves  as a valuable resource for employers, employees, practitioners and EEOC staff seeking  information on Title VII’s prohibition against religious discrimination.”

The Section addresses what constitutes “religion” within the meaning of Title  VII; disparate treatment based on religion; the requirement to reasonably  accommodate religious beliefs and practices; religion-based harassment; and  retaliation. The Section also provides  guidance on the sometimes complex workplace issues involved in balancing  employees’ rights regarding religious expression with employers’ need to  maintain efficient, productive workplaces.

The EEOC issued this section in response to an increase in charges of  religious discrimination, increased religious diversity in the United States,  and requests for guidance from stakeholders and agency personnel investigating  and litigating claims of religious discrimination.

Religious discrimination charge filings with the EEOC nationwide have risen  substantially over the past 15 years, doubling from 1,388 in Fiscal Year 1992  to a record level of 2,880 in FY 2007.

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the Commission is  available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.