Brazilian labor courts order damages for religious discrimination

The Regional Labor Court of the 12th Region (TRT‑12) in Santa Catarina upheld a R$6,000 moral‑damage award against a hotel‑farm in Joinville after a waitress was forced to attend a religious retreat, faced threats of isolation or dismissal, and was subjected to invasive questioning about her private life. The court found the employer exceeded its directive authority and violated the employee’s freedom of belief and privacy.

The Regional Labor Court of the 15th Region (TRT‑15) in São Paulo ordered a bag‑and‑clothing manufacturer in Franca to pay R$10,000 in moral damages to a worker who practices candomblé. The employee was repeatedly harassed by her supervisor, who publicly called her “macumbeira” and urged colleagues to avoid her, constituting religious‑based moral harassment (mobbing). The court affirmed the employer’s liability for the supervisor’s discriminatory conduct.