Religious rights are having a moment. 

Intertwined with political issues like the Israel-Hamas war, gender identity and vaccine mandates, employees nationwide are filing a variety of lawsuits that challenge workplace policies and bring sensitive issues like bodily autonomy, respect for others and free expression to the fore.

While the lawsuits detailed below were all private enforcement actions, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has taken a special interest in religious rights cases this year as well. In August, the agency touted its focus on the issue in the first days of the Trump administration, highlighting religious discrimination lawsuits it had filed relating to vaccine mandates, social media posts, antisemitism on college campuses and more.

“During the previous administration, workers’ religious protections too often took a backseat to woke policies,” Acting Chair Andrea Lucas declared in an agency news release. “Under my leadership, the EEOC is restoring evenhanded enforcement of Title VII — ensuring that workers are not forced to choose between their paycheck and their faith.”

Employers may see a greater variety of religious bias lawsuits from the agency soon, as EEOC is expected to obtain a quorum if nominated commissioner Brittany Panuccio is confirmed.

Read on below for our coverage of recent religious rights issues gaining traction in the courts.