On The Front Lines
Rutherford Institute Issues Special Report to Corporate America on Religious Discrimination in the Workplace
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Rutherford Institute has issued a "Special Report to Corporate America" on religious discrimination in the workplace, which is being made available to corporations across America, including Fortune 500 companies. In addition to outlining employers' specific duties toward religious employees or prospective employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, the report also provides employers with specific recommendations for accommodating their employees' religious beliefs or practices. The report, "Religious Discrimination in the Workplace: A Special Report for Corporate America," is available here (PDF)."The face of America is rapidly changing to reflect not only an increasing religious diversity, but also a deeper level of individual commitment to religious faith," stated John W. Whitehead, president and founder of The Rutherford Institute. "People of faith are not only calling themselves religious, they are actually attempting to live out the tenets of their beliefs in all aspects of their lives. And because so many of Americans' waking hours are spent in the workplace, employers are regularly forced to grapple with conflicts between their employees' job requirements and their own religious beliefs. Indeed, religion-based complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have risen over 57% in the past decade. However, as this 'Special Report to Corporate America' points out, there are tangible benefits for corporations, both large and small, that are willing to take the necessary steps to provide their employees with a workplace atmosphere that is respectful and tolerant of their religious beliefs and practices."
According to a 2001 study, more than 80 percent of American adults identify themselves with a religious worldview. As the "Special Report on Religious Discrimination in the Workplace" points out, as our nation becomes increasingly diverse religiously, as well as racially and ethnically, this diversity could result in a recipe for disaster in the workplace. For example, in 1980, only two percent of Americans expressed a religious preference other than Christian or Jewish. By 1999, however, this number had tripled to six percent. It is estimated that by 2010, Islam will have displaced Judaism as the second-largest religion practiced in America after Christianity. However, as the report points out, "corporations that add a mixture of genuine concern for the well-being of their employees and commitment to educating and training employees in the area of religious tolerance and accommodation will likely find that their efforts instead yield a workplace with lower turnover, fewer lawsuits and, most importantly, a boosted level of employee morale. While it is relatively easy for corporate decision-makers to add these components, it is important to resist the urge to deny the gravity of potential problems." To read more about the report's recommendations for accommodating employees' religious beliefs and practices in the workplace, visit here (PDF).
The Rutherford Institute is an international, nonprofit civil liberties organization committed to defending constitutional and human rights.
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