Defending Employees Against
Unlawful Religious Discrimination
Federal and state laws prohibit employers—whether government agencies or private companies—from discriminating against employees on the basis of religion. Despite this, some employers do discriminate on the basis of religion, often out of ignorance or cultural pressure. Sadly, many employees allow themselves to be victims of religious discrimination due to their own lack of knowledge or pressure to conform.
But increasingly, people of faith are standing up for their rights, top attorneys are representing them at no charge, and employers are learning they cannot break the law without consequences.
First Liberty’s attorneys understand how to protect employees. We seek an America where:
Employees know their religious rights and stand up for them.
Employers know the religious rights of their employees and respect them.
Religious discrimination in the workplace becomes unacceptable as employers obey the law and practice tolerance of their workers’ peacefully expressed religious viewpoints.
Employees Currently Standing Up for the Rights
Read about the legal action First Liberty is taking on behalf of these employees whose expression of faith made them a target at work:
Alexia Palma
Alexia asked for a simple religious accommodation to show a video instead of teaching a class on contraception. This worked well for approximately 18 months. But when new management came in, they gave her an ultimatum – “put aside” her “personal beliefs” and teach the class, or else be terminated.
Coach Kennedy
Bremerton High School in Washington State ordered football Coach Joe Kennedy to stop his seven-year practice of praying at the 50-yard line after every game. First Liberty Institute filed a lawsuit against the school district.
Employees Protected Through Legal Action
These clients faced religious discrimination at work, stood for their rights, and with the help of First Liberty, won. Read their stories:
Bob Eschliman
An award-winning newspaper editor from Iowa fired for expressing his religious belief on his personal blog. First Liberty aggressively pursued legal action against a large media company —and the company did the right thing when the case was favorably settled for Bob and his family.
Walt Tutka
A teacher who took legal action through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), who found that he was the victim of discrimination by a New Jersey school district. The federal government is now considering an enforcement action against the school district due to
their actions.
First Liberty Can and Does Win
First Liberty wins over 90 percent of our cases, because we are on the right side of the law and have a proven method that leads to success. We employ a successful volunteer attorney model that allows First Liberty to partner with some of the top attorneys in the nation. Our staff attorneys are subject matter experts, and our national network of volunteer attorneys are the best of the best, living and working in the jurisdictions where cases are pending.
We are committed to helping those who face discrimination at work because of their religious expression.
If you or someone you know is being punished for religious expression in the workplace, we can help! Submit your request to First Liberty for legal help here.
