U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Religious Accommodation Case
The U.S. Supreme Court Justices have agreed to hear a religious accommodation case involving a former U.S. Postal Service Worker in Pennsylvania.
This case, titled Groff v. DeJoy, puts a decades-old precedent under the microscope. It calls into question the test for determining whether employers can deny religious accommodation requests made by an employee under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The standard was set by the court in the 1977 case, Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison, that determined that employers could deny such a request made by an employee if the religious accommodation results in “undue hardship” on the employer’s business operations.
"Undue hardship" is an act of accommodation that places substantial difficulty or expense on the employer. This legal standard is evaluated by several factors. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, an employer is not required to make accommodations for an employee that would result in undue hardship to the employer.
If Groff v. DeJoy overturns the precedent set by Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison, all manners of religious accommodations in the workplace, ranging from religious holidays to dress codes, may be affected. This case has yet to be set for oral argument. Stay tuned for updates on this matter.
If your business has any questions on this topic or any other matters, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at The Royal Law Firm at 413-586-2288.
