Recent Developments in Religious Accommodation in the Workplace

Religious-discrimination claims have proliferated in recent years. Statistics released by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) indicate that 3,811 religious-discrimination charges were filed in 2012—almost twice the number of such charges filed in 2000 (1,939). Likewise, recent years have brought a flurry of lawsuits addressing Title VII religious-discrimination claims, particularly those involving alleged failure to accommodate an employee’s or applicant’s sincerely held religious belief.