Though religious discrimination claims are becoming more common, many managers still struggle with different beliefs in the workplace.
How common are workplace religious conflicts? Nearly one-third of employers have had employees clash over religious differences, according to a recent survey by the Institute for Corporate Productivity.
When asked how they handle problems related to religion, 68% of managers said they “make reasonable accommodations for beliefs and practices” — even though the number should be closer to 100% because federal law requires almost all employers to do so.
One problem many managers have: lack of training. In the survey, only 29% said they’d gotten any training from their companies on how to avoid religious discrimination.
Religious bias claims are costly, and judges tend to rule in the employee’s favor when the complaints are brought to court.
So it looks like companies should consider including religious issues in managers’ legal training.
