SCOTUS Takes Case That Could Upend Religious Accommodations In The Workplace

Late last month, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Groff v. DeJoy, a case that could potentially change the legal landscape for employers handling accommodation requests for an employee's religious beliefs and practices under Title VII. In short, it is reasonable to anticipate that this case could make it more difficult for employers to deny religious accommodations.

As background, Gerald Groff was a U.S. Postal Service employee who had requested an accommodation to be excused from working on Sundays due to his religious beliefs. After that accommodation was denied, he sued the U.S. Postal Service. He lost at the trial court, and on appeal the Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment to the employer because it found that other workers would be burdened if Groff was exempted from working on Sundays.