EEOC Identifies "Best Practices" For Preventing Religious Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently responded to an increase in religious discrimination claims by issuing compliance assistance focusing on the prevention of religious discrimination. The compliance assistance gives a broad interpretation of "religion" under Title VII and focuses on a series of employer and employee "best practices" in four areas:  individual religious discrimination, religious harassment, reasonable accommodation and retaliation.

In defining "religion," the EEOC includes "moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views" but which are not based on a belief in God.  Further, the definition includes new religions, uncommon religions and religions that seem illogical or unreasonable to others.  According to the EEOC, because the definition of religion is broad, the employer should