The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new guidance on employers’ responsibilities with respect to employees’ religious rights. A revised EEOC fact sheet provides information about how employment discrimination law applies to religious dress and grooming practices.
In most cases, employers must permit employees to follow religious dress and grooming practices even if those practices violate the employer’s dress code. Such practices include, for example, wearing religious clothing or articles (Muslim hijab, Sikh turban, Christian cross); observing a religious prohibition against wearing certain clothing (Orthodox Jewish or Pentecostal Christian practice of wearing modest clothing and not wearing pants); or shaving or hair length observances (Sikh uncut hair, Rastafarian dreadlocks).
The guidance sets forth 16 questions and answers about religious dress and grooming and provides real-life examples. Click here. Employers with questions about religious rights in the workplace may find the guidance useful.