Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Accommodation of Religious Grooming and Garb in the Workplace

By Rosanna Sattler and Laura Otenti
July 02, 2014

On March 6, 2013, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new guidance in the form of a fact sheet and question-and-answer sheet on religious garb and grooming in the workplace under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The new guidance reflects the EEOC's continued focus on religious discrimination and accommodation post 9/11, as well as the EEOC's success in court against employers who failed to accommodate employees' religious garb, grooming, and practice.

Employers should take note of the new guidance, because it provides useful examples of when and how they should accommodate an employee's religious observance. The EEOC makes clear that neither customer preference nor employer image or branding is a defense for failing to accommodate religious beliefs and practices. Similarly, employers cannot assign employees to non-customer contact positions due to concerns about the effect of their appearance on customer perceptions, as doing so violates Title VII's prohibition on limiting, segregating or classifying employees based on religion.

Title VII

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York Image

In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?

Legal Possession: What Does It Mean? Image

Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.