Religion and the Workplace: Legal Analysis of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as It Applies to Religion and Religious Organizations

Cynthia Brougher
Legislative Attorney

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination by certain employers. Among other things, Title VII generally prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of their religious beliefs and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees’ religious practices. Religious organizations, however, may be exempt from some of the prohibitions of Title VII.

Congress regularly has proposed legislation that would amend the definition of religion under Title VII and has introduced proposals to clarify which actions would qualify as religious discrimination under the act. At times, legislative proposals that would not directly affect Title VII’s prohibition on religious discrimination raise questions related to the protections provided for religion. In other cases, legislative proposals incorporate protections offered by Title VII into new civil rights bills.

This report reviews the scope of Title VII’s prohibition on religious discrimination, its exemptions for religious organizations, and its requirements for accommodations. It also analyzes the exemptions available to religious organizations for the non-discrimination requirements. Finally, it addresses protections based on Title VII’s religious exemption that have been included in the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA; H.R. 1397/S. 811).


Date of Report: April 3, 2012
Number of Pages: 10
Order Number: RS22745
Price: $29.95

Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports

Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.