Discrimination

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Q.  An employee has requested that the company give her an accommodation due to a religious practice I have never heard of. Do we have to comply with this request?

A.  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees and applicants against religious discrimination and requires that an employer accommodate an individual’s religious practices unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the employer. Typically, employers are asked to accommodate more mainstream religions by way of scheduling accommodations or dress. However, lesser known religious practices also must be accommodated if the employee can establish a sincerely-held belief in the religious practice and that the accommodation would not impose an undue hardship on the company.

Uber made headlines last week when Susan Fowler, a former engineer, claimed that she was harassed by her direct supervisor and her complaints were ignored by the human resources department. Uber took another hit a few days later when a recently-hired executive resigned amidst allegations that he had harassed employees at his former company.

How can you prevent your company from becoming the next media story?

Q:  What does it mean to discriminate against someone based on their national origin?

A:  Title VII prohibits employers from acting in a way that would have the purpose or effect or discriminating against an employee because of his or her national origin.

But what does the term “discrimination based on national origin” really mean?

Q: What does it mean to “ban-the-box,” and how does it affect our hiring process?

 A: Ban-the-box legislation is quickly spreading throughout state and local jurisdictions.  Even if your jurisdiction has not adopted such legislation yet, it is likely that it will do so in the not-so-distant future. Therefore, it is vital to understand both the rationale behind the legislation and how it will affect your organization’s hiring processes.

Q.  Recently, two employees almost came to blows arguing over the merits of a Trump versus Clinton presidency. Can our company prohibit employees from talking about politics in the workplace?

A.  The 2016 presidential election has created the most intense and divisive political environment in recent memory. What can a company do if the banter of cable news, talk radio, and polarizing political Facebook posts spills into the workplace?

Q.  We have several employees with tattoos on their necks and forearms. Can we require them to cover up?

A. Many employers have in place employee dress codes, in an effort to maintain a certain brand image, comply with health standards, and foster professionalism. As tattoos, body piercings and other forms of body art are trending in today’s culture, some employers have struggled with whether such displays are in keeping with the company’s image.  To what extent can an employer place rules on an employee’s appearance at work without violating anti-discrimination laws?

Q: We have an employee who is unable to perform some of his essential job requirements because of physical limitations due to his weight.  Do we need to provide him with an accommodation?

 A: Given that almost one-third of the U.S. population is considered obese, many employers are struggling with whether to provide accommodations for employees whose weight prohibits them from performing all of their job functions. Whether obesity falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act is a hotly debated issue. Employers must juggle the cost and resources of providing accommodations with the desire to create a comfortable environment for all employees and avoid discrimination claims.

Q.  One of our employees complained that she is uncomfortable sharing the bathroom with an employee who is in transition. What are we required to do to provide a comfortable work environment for everyone?

Many employers are having discussions about equal employment opportunities for transgender employees and what steps are necessary to make the work environment comfortable for everyone.

Q.  I read somewhere that it is ok sometimes to choose employees of a particular sex, national origin or religion. Isn’t that discrimination?

A.  Federal, state and many local laws prohibit employers from basing employment decisions on any protected category, including an employee’s sex, national origin or religion. While there are certain exceptions, such as where a particular protected category is a bona fide occupational qualification, the exceptions are extremely narrow, as one Broadway show found out the hard way.