If our faith-based organization receives Federal funding, will it have to discontinue its religious practice of considering the religion of applicants when hiring employees?
In most circumstances, no. There is no general Federal law that prohibits faith-based organizations that receive Federal funds from hiring on a religious basis. Neither does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which applies regardless of whether an organization receives Federal funds, prohibit faith-based organizations from hiring on a religious basis. This Act protects Americans from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability. But the Civil Rights Act also explicitly recognizes the fundamental rights of faith-based organizations to hire employees who share their religious beliefs. The United States Supreme Court unanimously upheld this special protection for faith-based groups in 1987, and it has been the law since then. Thus, a Jewish organization can decide to hire only Jewish employees, a Catholic organization can decide to hire only Catholics, and so on, without running into problems with the Civil Rights Act. This sp
Related Questions
- If our faith-based organization receives Federal funding, will it have to discontinue its religious practice of considering the religion of applicants when hiring employees?
- My organization has a religious name and its chartering documents contain religious references. Is it still eligible to receive Federal funding?
- Does our religious organization have to form a special nonprofit organization in order to receive Federal funding?
