Supreme Court sides with postal worker who sued over Sabbath

[Zephyr]

Supreme Court sides with postal worker who sued over Sabbath

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday used the case of a Christian mailman who didn’t want to work Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations.

afn.net

Holy Be The Name Of The Lord!! What a wonderful lead-up to Independence Day!

The Supreme Court on Thursday used the case of a Christian mailman who didn’t want to work Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations.

In a unanimous decision the justices made clear that workers who ask for accommodations, such as taking the Sabbath off, should get them unless their employers show doing so would result in “substantial increased costs” to the business.
The court made clear that businesses must cite more than minor costs — so-called “de minimis” costs — to reject requests for religious accommodations at work. Unlike most cases before the court, both sides in the case had agreed businesses needed to show more.

 

[Tall Timbers]

In a case like this I have questions. Did the worker understand that working on Sundays was part of the job description when they sought the job and were hired? Had the worker worked on Sundays without complaint earlier on without complaint or fuss? If the answer to the first question was yes, and it most likely was, then I think the decision in this particular judgment should have been different. If the answer to the 2nd question was yes, then if I was the judge I would have additional questions to ask. Change the Sundays above to Saturdays, depending on when the person's sabbath is...

 

[3Nails4Given]

According to what I read of the case the plaintiff was not originally supposed to work Sundays. Due to the abundance of Amazon deliveries, they started scheduling them to work Sundays.

Evidently the court believes the employer should make reasonable accommodations for employees to be off for religious purposes when there was not a adverse effect to the employer or hardship, such as would be in law enforcement, medical, or EMS services.

Under normal circumstances mail is not considered life support. Just as a retail clerk or restaurant employee would not be.

Personally as a retired law enforcement officer I agree with the court. The court ruled in favor of the postal employee in this case.

In my law enforcement career I knew it would be expected for me to work Sundays, weekends, holidays etc.. Thankfully my agency, federal, for the most part accommodated my requests for religious accommodation and childcare.

In essence the court merely upheld a employees right to request religious accommodation.

I don’t believe anyone should be forced to work non scheduled days or shifts to accommodate any business, ie. Amazon.