by Patricia Schaeffer, Vice President-Regulatory Affairs
The EEOC has announced a new Compliance Manual Section regarding workplace discrimination on the basis of religion. The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the new section on July 22. The section includes a comprehensive review of EEOC’s policies regarding religious discrimination, harassment and accommodation. The EEOC also issued a companion fact sheet and a best practices booklet. The EEOC issued the new section in response to an increase in charges of religious discrimination, increased religious diversity in the U.S. and requests for guidance from stakeholders and agency personnel investigating and litigating claims of religious discrimination. Religious discrimination charges have doubled over the past 15 years to a record level of 2,880 in FY 2007.
