HUMBLE, Texas — The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) over allegations of religious discrimination.
The case involves a former administrative clerk who worked in the Pam Lychner Unit on Atascocita Road in Humble.
According to the lawsuit, she asked permission to wear a head covering related to her faith.
The lawsuit alleges that when the employee refused to remove the head covering, she was indefinitely suspended without pay. The DOJ said her TDCJ employers also questioned the sincerity of the woman's faith and ultimately fired her.
The suit alleges TDCJ’s refusal to accommodate her religious practice violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Religious discrimination in the workplace will not be tolerated in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex and religion. Title VII also prohibits retaliation against employees who have made a charge, assisted or participated in an investigation, proceeding or hearing under Title VII.
“Employers cannot require employees to forfeit their religious beliefs or improperly question the sincerity of those beliefs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit is a reminder to all employers of their clear legal obligation to offer reasonable religious accommodations. In our country, employers cannot force an employee to choose between their faith and their job.”
Employees with complaints of religious discrimination can report them to their local EEOC office or their state or local fair employment practices agencies. The contact information for each local EEOC office can be found at www.eeoc.gov/field-office.
