Morning Wire When Religion Clashes with Work | Saturday Extra
Apr 22, 2023
The podcast dives into a pivotal Supreme Court case where a Christian postal worker seeks to observe the Sabbath without facing workplace penalties. It discusses the broader implications for religious accommodations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The conversation highlights challenges in navigating employment policies and the complexities of religious exemptions. There's also an examination of the justices' varying perspectives and their ambivalence towards established legal precedents in religious liberty rulings.
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Religious Accommodation
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act requires employers to accommodate religious practices unless it causes undue hardship.
- The case questions if the "de minimis" standard from Trans World Airlines v. Hardison aligns with Title VII.
Groff v. DeJoy
- Gerald Groff, a Christian postal worker, was fired for refusing to work on Sundays.
- Initially, his religious accommodation was granted, but the USPS later backtracked after contracting with Amazon.
Lower Court Decisions
- Lower courts upheld the Postal Service's decision not to accommodate Groff.
- Both the trial court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Groff.