WASHINGTON, DC – A unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court will solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations. The case involved a Lancaster County Christian mail carrier, Gerald Groff, who did not want to work Sundays because he said that day is for church and family. The justices made clear that workers who ask for religious accommodations, such as taking the Sabbath off, should have their requests honored unless employers show that doing so would result in “substantial increased costs.” Groff was represented by several legal firms, including the Harrisburg-based Independence Law Center. The Center’s Chief Counsel Randall Wenger called the decision “a huge victory.” Groff says he hopes the ruling “allows others to be able to maintain their convictions without living in fear of losing their jobs because of what they believe.” The justices sent Groff’s case back to a lower court for another look in light of their decision.
RANDALL WENGER
GERALD GROFF