The U.S. Supreme Court is seen in Washington March 27, 2023. The court heard arguments in a case April 18 that could have broad implications for employees seeking religious accommodations from their employers. (OSV News photo/Evelyn Hockstein, Reuters) The U.S. Supreme Court heard April 18 arguments in a case that could have broad implications for employees seeking religious accommodations from their employers. The high court heard oral arguments in Groff v. DeJoy , a case concerning Gerald Groff, an evangelical Christian and former U.S. Postal Service worker, who was denied an accommodation to observe his Sunday sabbath by not taking Sunday shifts. Federal law prohibits employers from firing employees seeking religious accommodations unless the employer can show that those accommodations cannot be "reasonably" met without "undue hardship." In a 1977 decision in Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, the high court found that the "undue hardship" standard is met even at a minimal cost. Groff alleged in federal court that USPS failed to provide him with reasonable accommodations for his religious practices after he sought an accommodation not to work Sunday shifts as a faithful Christian. Groff said he sought employment at the post office since it did not deliver […]
