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The State of California is known having one of the most stringent yet diverse employment and labor laws. In fact, every year, amendments on certain legislations are implemented to further protect California employees from any acts of discrimination on their employers. These include expansions on some of the already-existing laws.
In fact, the start of the year 2013 brought new perspective on the employment and labor laws of the state. Some seven state laws were passed by the California legislature and Governor Jerry Brown since January 1, and one of them was the expansion of the state anti-discrimination laws protecting employees’ religious beliefs and practices.
Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees on the basis of the latter’s religious beliefs. Since January 1, the FEHA expanded its definition to include “religious dress and grooming practices” as stipulated in the California Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 or WRFA.
To put it simply, the new law, and subsequently the FEHA amendments, state that California employers cannot discriminate or harass their employees who wear dresses or groom themselves to work as part of their religious obligation. Not only that; employers covered by the FEHA are also tasked to provide reasonable accommodation to their employees’ religious dress or grooming practice.
Under the WRFA, an employee is allowed to wear or carry any type of “religious clothing, head or face coverings, jewelry, artifacts and any other item” in observance “of his or her religious creed.” Meanwhile, an employee can groom him or herself as part of his or her observance of his or her religious creed, including head, facial, and body hair.
Moreover, the laws state that it is unreasonable for covered employers to provide accommodation to their employees if the latter is required to be segregated from either the public or from other workers. The California FEHA now recognizes it as an illegal employment move and a clear violation of the state anti-discrimination laws.
Such amendments further established California as a state that duly protects its employees from experiencing discrimination and harassment. Incidentally, if you have been a victim of discrimination in California after you have been fired from your job because of your dress or grooming practice, you may seek the expertise of a Los Angeles wrongful termination lawyer.
In fact, the start of the year 2013 brought new perspective on the employment and labor laws of the state. Some seven state laws were passed by the California legislature and Governor Jerry Brown since January 1, and one of them was the expansion of the state anti-discrimination laws protecting employees’ religious beliefs and practices.
Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees on the basis of the latter’s religious beliefs. Since January 1, the FEHA expanded its definition to include “religious dress and grooming practices” as stipulated in the California Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 or WRFA.
To put it simply, the new law, and subsequently the FEHA amendments, state that California employers cannot discriminate or harass their employees who wear dresses or groom themselves to work as part of their religious obligation. Not only that; employers covered by the FEHA are also tasked to provide reasonable accommodation to their employees’ religious dress or grooming practice.
Under the WRFA, an employee is allowed to wear or carry any type of “religious clothing, head or face coverings, jewelry, artifacts and any other item” in observance “of his or her religious creed.” Meanwhile, an employee can groom him or herself as part of his or her observance of his or her religious creed, including head, facial, and body hair.
Moreover, the laws state that it is unreasonable for covered employers to provide accommodation to their employees if the latter is required to be segregated from either the public or from other workers. The California FEHA now recognizes it as an illegal employment move and a clear violation of the state anti-discrimination laws.
Such amendments further established California as a state that duly protects its employees from experiencing discrimination and harassment. Incidentally, if you have been a victim of discrimination in California after you have been fired from your job because of your dress or grooming practice, you may seek the expertise of a Los Angeles wrongful termination lawyer.
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