San Diego Religious Discrimination Attorney
Have your first amendment rights been violated at work in San Diego, CA? Your faith is an important part of your life. Employers cannot discriminate against you due to your religious affiliation.
An experienced San Diego religious discrimination lawyer at Ferraro Vega San Diego Employment Lawyers can help you fight for compensation if you’ve suffered religious harassment or discrimination in the workplace. Our lawyers have spent years advocating to protect our clients’ rights in the workplace. We’re ready to use our knowledge and experience for your benefit.
Do you have questions about your legal rights? Call our law offices in San Diego, California, at (844) 337-7276 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Ferraro Vega San Diego Employment Lawyers Can Help With a Religious Discrimination Claim in San Diego
Your sincerely held religious views must be respected in the workplace. Unfortunately, victims of workplace religious discrimination often face an uphill battle enforcing their legal rights.
Having an experienced San Diego discrimination lawyer working with you can greatly increase your chances of a successful outcome.
When you choose Ferraro Vega San Diego Employment Lawyers to protect your legal rights, you can expect a lawyer who will:
- Conduct a thorough investigation into your claim
- Gather the evidence to support your case
- Ensure all of the correct legal processes are followed
- Handle all negotiations on your behalf
- Advocate for your rights in court
Our San Diego employment attorneys only handle employment cases. We have years of experience helping people like you protect their rights–and we’re well-prepared to fight for you.
Are you interested in learning more? Don’t hesitate to call or contact our lawyers for a free case review today.
Overview of Religious Discrimination Laws in California
Federal and California state laws protect workers from religious discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits religious discrimination in the workplace. It is one of the most powerful and far-reaching anti-discrimination laws in the U.S. The law applies to any employer with at least five employees in the state of California.
Under the FEHA, religion is one of several protected classes. Employers are prevented from discriminating based on an employee’s religious beliefs or practices. Moreover, employers must take reasonable steps to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
Your employer is also required to provide reasonable accommodation to allow you to practice your religion. California law also requires employers to provide evidence that an accommodation would create an undue hardship before denying an employee’s request for accommodation,
Federal Laws Provide Protection From Workplace Religious Discrimination
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects job applicants and employees from discrimination in the workplace. The law prevents discrimination based on religion, national origin, sexual orientation and other protected classes.
This federal law prohibits an employer from taking the following actions based on your religion:
- Terminating
- Demoting
- Excluding you from certain job-related benefits
- Denying a promotion
- Considering religion in compensation or benefits decisions
The law also protects you from workplace harassment based on your religion. Further, your employer is not permitted to retaliate against you for reporting instances of discrimination. If you were a victim of wrongful termination, our lawyers can help you file a lawsuit for wrongful termination.
We Handle All Types of Religious Discrimination Claims in San Diego, CA
Religious harassment can occur in any number of ways. You may face discrimination based on your religion during the hiring process or even once you’re well-established in your job. In many cases, the inappropriate behavior may go unnoticed by anyone but you.
At Ferraro Vega San Diego Employment Lawyers, our lawyers handle all types of workplace discrimination claims in San Diego or Los Angeles.
For example, you may have a valid claim for work-related religious discrimination if:
- An employer refuses to hire or promote members of a certain religious group
- You’re subject to different work-related requirements because of your religious practices or beliefs
- An employer requires you to participate in activities that go against your religious beliefs
- Your employer attempts to impose a certain set of religious beliefs on you
- Your employer refuses to allow you to wear certain religious dress or comply with religious observances on grooming
- Your employer refuses to allow time off for religious holidays that do not coincide with the majority
- You experience harassment or offensive comments or threats based on your religion
- You have experienced workplace violence based on your religion
- Your employer has retaliated against you for reporting religious harassment or discrimination in the workplace
Do you believe you have been a victim of employment discrimination? If possible, take steps to preserve evidence and document the discrimination.
It’s also important to call an experienced lawyer who can help. Our lawyers can help you obtain witness statements and other evidence you may need to support your religious discrimination claim at a later date. Call our law offices and schedule a free case review today if you’re ready to learn more.
How to File a Religious Discrimination Lawsuit in San Diego
You deserve to feel safe and respected in the workplace. If you’ve been a victim of harassment or discrimination based on your religious beliefs, you have legal rights. Of course, it isn’t always easy to stand up for yourself. The risk of losing your job can be frightening.
Our San Diego religious discrimination attorneys at Ferraro Vega San Diego Employment Lawyers are here to help.
The first step in the process is filing a complaint. In most cases, we can help you file an initial complaint with your HR department or a supervisor. The exact nature of the complaint and next steps will depend upon the nature of the discrimination or harassment you faced.
For example, if you experienced a hostile work environment based on offensive comments or behavior by co-workers, you’ll also have to prove:
- Your employer knew, or should have known, that the harassment was happening
- The employer failed to take reasonable steps to stop the harassing behavior
Often, your employer will take swift action to correct the problem and provide equal opportunity employment. However, an employer or supervisor may be the person responsible for the discrimination–or may simply fail to act. In those cases, the next step would involve filing a complaint with government agencies tasked with investigating these complaints, including:
- The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)
The agency will then investigate your claim. Our lawyers will be here to help you through the process. The agency may:
- Interview witnesses
- Request additional information
- Request mediation
- File a lawsuit on your behalf
The government typically won’t sue on your behalf. Instead, they’ll provide you with a right to sue letter. That letter gives you the right to file a religious discrimination lawsuit.
Can I Recover Damages for Religious Discrimination in the Workplace?
It’s not always easy to prove workplace discrimination. However, there are a number of different remedies that may be available to victims of religious discrimination. The goal of the law is to put you in the position you would have occupied without discrimination or harassment.
Therefore, the damages available will depend on the type of discrimination you suffered and its impact on your work and life.
Examples of the types of financial compensation you may be entitled to receive include:
- Back pay
- Job search costs
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety and depression
- Attorney’s fees, expert witness costs, and court costs
If you were fired or resigned because of religious discrimination, you may be entitled to reinstatement. You may also be entitled to receive a promotion that you were unfairly denied. In extreme cases involving intentional discrimination, punitive damages may be awarded to punish your employer for those actions.
Federal law caps the amount of financial compensation a victim can receive. Those caps are based on the employer’s size and range from $50,000 to $300,000 in compensatory damages.
It’s also possible that your employer will be ordered to take strict steps in order to prevent future acts of workplace discrimination.
How Long Do I Have to File a Religious Discrimination Lawsuit in California?
Once you receive a right to sue letter from the EEOC, you have only 90 days to file a lawsuit under federal law.
The California state legal process is different. You’re required to file your initial complaint with DFEH within three years of the date you were harmed. The DFEH may investigate and require mediation or, if it determines that your employer violated state nondiscrimination laws, may send your case on for further investigation.
Contact a San Diego Religious Discrimination Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Your religious beliefs deserve respect. If you’ve been discriminated against at work, you have legal options. An experienced San Diego religious discrimination lawyer at Ferraro Vega San Diego Employment Lawyers can help you explore those options. All you have to do is call our law firm for a free case evaluation today.