Religion is one of the protected characteristics in California. It’s unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a job applicant or employee based on their religion. Additionally, a job applicant or an employee can request a reasonable accommodation for religious observances.
Here are four examples of reasonable accommodations employees might request:
1. Adjustment of interviews
An applicant can request an employer to schedule a different time for their interview if the initial schedule interferes with a religious practice. For example, the interview was scheduled during prayer time or when an applicant should observe the Sabbath or any other religious holy day.
2. Changes to dress codes
If an employer requires employees to dress in a particular way, an employee whose religion conflicts with the required dress codes can request to be exempted from the rule. For example, women of some religions do not wear short skirts or trousers. An employee can also request to be allowed to wear a religious head scarf or cap like a hijab, tarbun or yarmulke.
3. Job restructuring
An employee may ask an employer to restructure their job to allow them to observe religious activities. For example, allowing time off for religious holidays and other major observances, giving employees a private space and time to pray during work hours, providing alternatives to duties that may conflict with one’s religious beliefs and adjusting work schedules to accommodate employees who don’t work on the Sabbath.
4. Display of religious symbols
An employee may request that their employer allow them to wear religious symbols.
If an employer refuses to provide a reasonable accommodation, you may want to learn more to determine whether they are breaching your rights by doing so. It’s not always straightforward, as if an employer can show that complying would cause them undue hardship, they may be within their right to deny it.