Memorandum concerning alleged religious discrimination Religious discrimination is similar to all discrimination and yet completely different. Discrimination is broadly defined by giving preferential treatment or undue hardship on another person due to their religion, physical impairment, race, marital status, ethnic back ground or a number of other reasons. Religious discrimination is more difficult to access by appearance than say physical impairment. A person in a wheel chair or with a foreign accent is easy to distinguish as in a protected class. Religious beliefs are the individual’s beliefs and it is only the individual that knows this belief. This fact puts more burden of evidence on the plaintiff. This is a choice that the individual is allowed to change at any given moment. We must allow these choices to be made and accommodate but we must be made aware of the conflict. Religious discrimination is the lowest of all EEOC claims but this number has doubled in recent years (EEOC compliance Manual, 2008). It is obvious by the rapid increase in claims that a potential for unseen lawsuits may be developing within our organization without our deliberate attempt or without our knowledge. During World War II, the United States confined thousands of US citizens of Japanese descent. Currently, the climate in our country is one of discontent with those of Muslim backgrounds or appearing of Arab descent. This fear by outsiders of those cultures stems from terrorist activities committed by that religious or ethnic group. This fear began on September 11, 2001 when a major attack was perpetrated by those of Arab descent upon the American people. That fear and reprisals is most likely a catalyst for the spike in religious discrimination claims. This known result of war demands that we as leaders in our industry make an example for