One of your most basic rights as a United States citizen is the right to freely practice your religion. Religious freedom draws people to the U.S. from all over the world.
Unfortunately, it is easier to promise freedom of religion in theory than to enforce that freedom in practice. Some people face religious discrimination in the workplace, requiring that they fight back against mistreatment by their employer for both their own benefit and for others who may work for the company in the future.
How do you stand up against religious discrimination in the workplace?
Connect your work experience to your faith
Maybe your manager was very friendly with you until the first time that you asked for a day off for religious observances. Perhaps they resent that you take time off to attend services or celebrate holidays. Perhaps they simply have a negative attitude about your specific faith.
Keeping a record of the mistreatment you endure at work can help demonstrate a correlation between when co-workers or management learned about your faith and how they behave toward you.
Report the issue internally if possible
If you work for a medium to large business, it may be possible for you to advise human resources or a management team member about the issues you have faced on the job because of your faith.
If the company doesn’t offer reporting for discrimination or harassment or if the supervisors or human resources individuals are the ones discriminating against you, an internal report may not be realistic in your situation.
Keeping records of what occurred on the job and review and workplace policies can help you figure out what steps to take to fight back against workplace religious discrimination.