Written by Don Byrd
California Governor Brown has signed AB 1964 into law. The bill strengthens workplace religious freedom protections, as eloquently explained by the bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada.
“This bill is dedicated to all those who have suffered the indignities of ignorance and discrimination in the workplace because of the tenets of their faith,” Yamada said. “No longer will it be legal to segregate a worker from public view because their appearance did not fit a corporate image.
…First, the bill removes the confusion between federal and state definitions of “undue hardship,” clarifying that California has a higher “significant difficulty or expense” hurdle for religious accommodation instead of the “de minimus” standard, Yamada said. Second, the bill specifies that religious clothing and hairstyles qualify as a religious belief or observance. Finally, AB 1964 prohibits an employer from segregating an employee from customers and the public to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs.
No state offers more protection for religious workers than California. Congratulations to Assemblywoman Yamada and the religious liberty advocates who made this happen!
