You have tried to operate your church in accordance with both secular and religious laws in mind. While charity is a cornerstone of many faiths, your church still expects your employees to meet certain standards as any other organization would. Unfortunately, a former employee has now accused your organization of discrimination on the basis of his or her own faith, which differs from that of your organization. Sadly, such unfounded accusations have resulted in tarnished reputations and churches closing their doors. For more information on when a church firing an employee constitutes religious discrimination in CA, please read on, then contact an experienced California church litigation lawyer today.
How might a church commit religious discrimination in CA?
In the Golden State, churches can be found guilty of religious discrimination after taking a variety of actions, including firing, laying off, harassing, or paying an employee less because of their religion, lack of religious beliefs, marriage to someone of another religion or religious denomination, or for a request for certain religious accommodations. Though an employer of any sort should never discriminate against employees for any reason, the unfortunate reality is that it is far from uncommon for employees to bring baseless claims of religious discrimination, especially in California, where laws make it far easier for them to do so. Fortunately, if you’re an employer facing accusations of religious discrimination, you do have options.
How can you disprove a claim of religious discrimination in CA?
Even if you and your church’s former employee belong to completely different faiths, it is still on the plaintiff to satisfy the burden of proof. A skilled Los Angeles, California labor lawyer will argue that the termination:
- Did not occur because of religion
- Was not part of a pervasive or severe pattern
- Did not have a detrimental effect on the plaintiff, and/or
- Would not have had such a detrimental effect on a reasonable person of the same religion in that position
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If you are involved in an employment-, commercial- or church-related dispute, contact Lee Law Offices today.
