Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 1997

Summary

Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 1997 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to modify the definition of "religion" to include all aspects of religious observance, practice, and belief unless, after initiating and engaging in an affirmative and bona fide effort, an employer demonstrates that it is unable to reasonably accommodate a religious observance or practice without undue hardship (action requiring significant difficulty or expense) on the conduct of the employer's business. Prohibits deeming an accommodation by the employer reasonable if the accommodation does not remove the conflict between employment requirements and the religious observance or practice. Excludes, in certain circumstances, a defense that the accommodation would be in violation of a seniority system. Prohibits requiring payment of premium wages for work performed during hours to which premium wages would ordinarily be applicable if work is performed during those hours only to accommodate religious requirements of an employee.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 8 November 1997

   Introduced

   Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 8 November 1997

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 8 November 1997

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 10 December 1997

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

   Source: Committee

5. 27 January 1998

   Introduced

   Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E4)

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 8 November 1997 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 8 November 1997

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 8 November 1997

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 8 November 1997

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Goodling, William F. [R-PA-19] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Saxton, Jim [R-NJ-13] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Snowbarger, Vince [R-KS-3] · R · Cosponsor
• James Clyburn · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Morella, Constance A. [R-MD-8] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6] · D · Cosponsor
• · hsed00 · Standing

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.