Religious Beliefs versus Philosophic Beliefs

According to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a worker cannot legally be discriminated against in the workplace because of their religious beliefs. However, religious beliefs are somewhat difficult to define. According to some, legally defensible ideas of religion may only apply to major world religions that include belief systems such as Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism.

However, the law does not distinguish between religious ideas that are connected to major world religions or those held faithfully by a single individual. Instead, the law distinguishes between philosophic beliefs and religious beliefs.

To discuss your legal options if you have been discriminated against on the basis of your religious beliefs, contact the Houston religious discrimination attorneys of the Ross Law Group at 713-482-6910 today.

What Is Protected?

The Civil Rights Act protects workers from discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs. However, the law does not connect religious beliefs to philosophic beliefs. Religious beliefs are often characterized as beliefs that deal with grand-scale ideas about human life and what the purpose of life may be. Philosophic beliefs, which are not protected, can include the following:

• Political opinions
• Social opinions
• Economic opinions

These beliefs are not protected under federal law, and a person may not be eligible for legal action if they believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of their philosophic beliefs.

Contact Us

If you have been the victim of religious discrimination in the workplace, you may be entitled to pursue legal action against your employer. To learn more about your legal options, contact the Houston religious discrimination lawyers of the Ross Law Group by calling 713-482-6910.