37.6—What specific discriminatory actions, based on prohibited grounds other than disability, are prohibited by this part, and what limitations are there related to religious activities?

(a) For the purposes of this section, “prohibited ground” means race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, political affiliation or belief, and for beneficiaries only, citizenship or participation in any WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity.

(b) A recipient must not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, on a prohibited ground:

(1) Deny an individual any aid, benefits, services, or training provided under a WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(2) Provide to an individual any aid, benefits, services, or training that is different, or is provided in a different manner, from that provided to others under a WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(3) Subject an individual to segregation or separate treatment in any matter related to his or her receipt of any aid, benefits, services, or training under a WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(4) Restrict an individual in any way in the enjoyment of any advantage or privilege enjoyed by others receiving any aid, benefits, services, or training under a WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(5) Treat an individual differently from others in determining whether he or she satisfies any admission, enrollment, eligibility, membership, or other requirement or condition for any aid, benefits, services, or training provided under a WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(6) Deny or limit an individual with respect to any opportunity to participate in a WIA Title I—funded program or activity, or afford him or her an opportunity to do so that is different from the opportunity afforded others under a WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(7) Deny an individual the opportunity to participate as a member of a planning or advisory body that is an integral part of the WIA Title I—funded program or activity; or

(8) Otherwise limit on a prohibited ground an individual in enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving any WIA Title I—financially assisted aid, benefits, services, or training.

(1) Aid or perpetuate discrimination by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, or person that discriminates on a prohibited ground in providing any aid, benefits, services, or training to registrants, applicants or participants in a WIA Title I—funded program or activity; or

(2) Refuse to accommodate an individual's religious practices or beliefs, unless to do so would result in undue hardship, as defined in section 37.4.

(d) (1) In making any of the determinations listed in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, either directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, a recipient must not use standards, procedures, criteria, or administrative methods that have any of the following purposes or effects:

(i) Subjecting individuals to discrimination on a prohibited ground; or

(ii) Defeating or substantially impairing, on a prohibited ground, accomplishment of the objectives of either:

(A) The WIA Title I—funded program or activity; or

(B) the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of WIA or this part.

(2) The determinations to which this paragraph applies include, but are not limited to:

(i) The types of aid, benefits, services, training, or facilities that will be provided under any WIA Title I—funded program or activity;

(ii) The class of individuals to whom such aid, benefits, services, training, or facilities will be provided; or

(iii) The situations in which such aid, benefits, services, training, or facilities will be provided.

(3) Paragraph (d) of this section applies to the administration of WIA Title I—funded programs or activities providing aid, benefits, services, training, or facilities in any manner, including, but not limited to:

(i) Outreach and recruitment;

(ii) Registration;

(iii) Counseling and guidance;

(iv) Testing;

(v) Selection, placement, appointment, and referral;

(vi) Training; and

(vii) Promotion and retention.

(4) A recipient must not take any of the prohibited actions listed in paragraph (d) of this section either directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements.

(e) In determining the site or location of facilities, a grant applicant or recipient must not make selections that have any of the following purposes or effects:

(1) On a prohibited ground:

(i) Excluding individuals from a WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity;

(ii) Denying them the benefits of such a program or activity; or

(iii) Subjecting them to discrimination; or

(2) Defeating or substantially impairing the accomplishment of the objectives of either:

(i) The WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; or

(ii) The nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of WIA or this part.

(f) (1) 29 CFR part 2, subpart D governs the circumstances under which DOL support, including WIA Title I financial assistance, may be used to employ or train participants in religious activities. Under that subpart, such assistance may be used for such employment or training only when the assistance is provided indirectly within the meaning of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and not when the assistance is provided directly. As explained in that subpart, assistance provided through an Individual Training Account is generally considered indirect, and other mechanisms may also be considered indirect. See also §§ 667.266 and 667.275 of 20 CFR. 29 CFR part 2, subpart D also contains requirements related to equal treatment of religious organizations in Department of Labor programs, and to protection of religious liberty for Department of Labor social service providers and beneficiaries.

(f) (2) Except under the circumstances described in paragraph (f)(3) below, a recipient must not employ participants to carry out the construction, operation, or maintenance of any part of any facility that is used, or to be used, for religious instruction or as a place for religious worship.

(3) A recipient may employ participants to carry out the maintenance of a facility that is not primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or religious worship if the organization operating the facility is part of a program or activity providing services to participants.

(g) The exclusion of an individual from programs or activities limited by Federal statute or Executive Order to a certain class or classes of individuals of which the individual in question is not a member is not prohibited by this part.

Code of Federal Regulations

[64 FR 61715, Nov. 12, 1999, as amended at 69 FR 41893, 41900, July 12, 2004]