A debt collection operation has reached a settlement in a religious accommodation lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and agreed to pay $60,000 to end a long legal battle.
The big picture: The lawsuit, filed by the EEOC, involved an employee of the collector who requested an accommodation to observe religious holidays in line with his religion. The collector initially denied the request, demanding a certification from a religious leader, which the employee could not provide due to his lack of congregation membership. Disciplinary points were imposed, eventually forcing the employee to resign.
The details:
- The EEOC alleged that the refusal to accommodate the employee’s religious beliefs and the demand for a certification violated Title VII, which mandates reasonable accommodation of religious practices unless it imposes an undue hardship on the employer.
- Although a lower court initially ruled in favor of the collector, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit vacated that decision, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
- Instead of going to trial, the parties settled.
What’s next: As part of the settlement, the collection operation must update its policies and training around religious accommodations. It is also specifically prohibited from requiring certifications from religious leaders as a prerequisite for granting accommodations.
What they’re saying:
- “Employers have a duty under the law to provide reasonable accommodations for their employees’ sincere religious beliefs, observances, and practices,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence. She emphasized that this obligation extends to employees without formal congregation membership.
- EEOC District Director Jamie Williamson said, “When an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with a work rule or requirement, the employer and employee must work together, cooperatively, to find a reasonable accommodation that eliminates the conflict. Title VII’s goal of providing equal employment opportunity is best achieved when that bilateral, interactive process focuses on identifying appropriate accommodations, not challenging the sincerity of the employee’s religious beliefs.”
