Ariens Company, a Wisconsin manufacturer, had previously allowed its Muslim employees five unscheduled prayer breaks during the workday, as is required for devout Muslims. Following complaints from non-Muslim employees, and allegedly reviewing recent earnings that losses the company attributed to lack of productivity during prayer breaks, Ariens told its Muslim that they were limited to two ten minutes beaks per workday. Subsequently Ariens fired seven Muslim employees for violating its break policy, a number of other Muslim employees quit in protest over the new break policy. Prior to the change in break policy, Ariens had 53 Muslim employees. The EEOC has been asked to investigate possible religious discrimination Religious Discrimination

1. Does Ariens have the right to make its employees abide by its break policy even if it violates a religious belief?

2. Does allowing employees five unscheduled break a day place "undue hardship" on the company?

3. What do you think EEOC will decide? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring, firing, and other terms and conditions of employment. Title VII covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. Employers should accommodate employees' religious beliefs if it can be done without "Undue hardship" as efforts that are not too costly or difficult for the employer to provide.