And remember, if you need to, you can always play dumb with HR to get stuff in writing. Like this. This is a situation that almost happened at my old job, but didn’t because I used the phrase “religious discrimination” out loud. If the situation had persisted, however:
ME TO HR: hey, I wanted to get clarification on a policy. Manager X told me to remove my Star of David necklace because making a statement about my religion could offend customers, but there are a lot of people who wear crosses and saints’ medals here. Has the policy on warehouse-safe jewelry been changed since I started?
HR, PROBABLY: [insert the safety policy about jewelry]
ME: oh, I totally understand. That’s why I wear mine as a choker. I’m just wondering if there’s a policy on no religious jewelry, because there wasn’t when I started.
HR, PROBABLY: [something about offensive language and symbols goes here]
ME: okay. So to clarify, a Star of David is considered offensive?
HR has two options here: they can say there’s a ban on all religious jewelry (in which case they have to get Manager X to enforce it, and if he doesn’t, I have a case for religious discrimination), or they can say no, there’s no such ban as long as the jewelry meets the safety requirements, and speak with Manager X. If it’s the latter and he continues to push for me—and only me—to remove my necklace, I have a case for religious discrimination.
Or I get to wear my necklace and everyone else gets to wear their crosses and rosaries and saints’ medals and whatever, and we’re all happy.
You can always. ALWAYS. Play dumb.