Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce Joins Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court on Religious Discrimination
The degree of freedom of Jewish workers from demands by employers that they work on Shabbos hangs in the balance as the Supreme Court prepares to consider a case that affects a religious person’s right to accommodation from his employer for observance of religious days of rest. The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce is part of an alliance of prominent Orthodox organizations that are throwing their weight behind a Christian Sunday Sabbath Observer in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that will be filed by renowned lawyer and advocate for Jewish causes Nathan Lewin.
The case at issue, Groff v. DeJoy, concerns a Christian U.S. Postal worker who was fired for refusing to work on Sunday. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, covered employers are prohibited from “denying a needed reasonable accommodation sought for an applicant’s or employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, or practices if an accommodation will not impose an undue hardship on the conduct of the business.” In the 1977 case Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison, the court determined that even a minimal hardship for the employer constitutes an undue hardship, releasing him from anti-discrimination requirements.
The decision is regarded by many as flawed, and there is a growing call to overturn it. The case before the Supreme Court will put that decision to the test. A decision is expected in June.
Click here to see the brief PDF.
