On July 22, 2008, "[i]n response to an increase in charges of religious discrimination, increased religious diversity in the United States, and requests for guidance from stakeholders and agency personnel investigating and litigating claims of religious discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new Compliance Manual section regarding religious discrimination in the workplace.

The new section does not reflect a drastic change in EEOC policies, but it is more comprehensive and user friendly than the prior version. The section covers five major legal
topics: coverage issues, disparate treatment, harassment, reasonable accommodation, and related forms of discrimination. The new section:

" attempts to articulate what religion is and when an employer may inquire into the religious nature or sincerity of an employee's beliefs;

" adds meaningful discussion of two exceptions to Title VII: the statutory "religious organization exception and the First Amendment-based "ministerial exception;



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