Anger at those responsible for the tragic events of September 11 should not be misdirected against innocent individuals because of their religion, ethnicity, or country of origin. Federal agencies have a special role in guarding against unlawful workplace discrimination.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits workplace discrimination based on religion, national origin, race, color or sex.

The law's prohibitions include harassment or any other employment action based on any of the following:

· Affiliation: Harassing or otherwise discriminating because an individual is affiliated with a particular religious or ethnic group.

· Physical of cultural traits and clothing: Harassing or otherwise discriminating because of physical, cultural or linguistic characteristics, such as accent or dress associated with a particular religion, ethnicity or country of origin.

· Perception: Harassing or otherwise discriminating because of the perception or belief that a person is a member of a particular racial, national origin, or religious group whether or not that perception is correct.

· Association: Harassing or otherwise discriminating because of an individual's association with a person or organization of a particular religion or ethnicity.

Harassment
Employers must provide a workplace that is free of harassment based on national origin, ethnicity or religion. They may be liable not only for harassment by supervisors, but also by coworkers or by non-employees under their control. Employers should clearly communicate to all employees - through a written policy or other appropriate mechanism - that harassment such as ethnic slurs or other verbal or physical conduct directed toward any racial, ethnic or religious group is prohibited and that employees must respect the rights of their co-workers. An employee also should have effective and clearly communicated policies and procedures for addressing complaints of harassment and should train managers on how to identify and respond effectively to harassment event in the absence of a complaint.

Religious Accommodation
Title VII requires a federal agency to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of an employee or prospective employee, unless doing so would create an undue hardship for the employer. Some reasonable religious accommodations that employers may be required to provide workers include leave for religious observances, time and/or place to pray, and ability to wear religious garb.

Filing a Complaint of Discrimination
Anyone who believes that he/she has been subjected to discrimination in violation of Title VII may file a charge with the nearest field office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.