Minister and attorney Alan Reinach Esq. looks at what could happen with the pending Supreme Court decision.
The Supreme Court handed down its decision in the case of postal worker Gerald Groff, who lost his job as a mail carrier because he would not work on Sundays.
Groff worked for the United States Postal Service for several years. Up until 2015, it did not deliver on Sundays. At that time, however, it made exceptions for particular Amazon packages – and, in turn, asked Groff to work on those days.
He refused, noting that he did not believe he should be working on The Lord’s Day. However, as a result, he received eight separate “pre-disciplinary interviews,” as well as a “Letter of Warning” and two separate suspensions, all while refusing to deliver on Sundays during the busy 2016 holiday season. He resigned shortly thereafter, knowing his next offense would result in his dismissal.
Initially, the District Court sided with the USPS, stating that “reasonable accommodation” didn’t need to eliminate the conflict between work and religion, and that granting Groff’s request would be an “undue hardship.” The matter would soon after be argued the Supreme Court in April, and late this week, the Supreme Court handed down its decision.
Groff’s attorney, Alan Reinach, will now discuss the significance of this decision for the religious freedom of millions of Americans who don’t want to leave their religion at home when they go to work.
Q&A:
- What did the Supreme Court decide?
- Was this a win for religious freedom? Was anything lost in the process, besides Groff’s job?
- What happens next? Could the USPS try a different approach? Or will it simply let this matter be?
- You’ve practiced for over three decades or more on cases where workers don’t receive the religious accommodation that they’re seeking. Would you say this is a widespread problem?
- How big a problem is this: do many Americans need religious accommodation at work?
- Will this have a reflection on future cases surrounding using religious practice at work? Such as with holidays that aren’t normally reflected by the business?
- Where can listeners go to get more information about the Groff case, as well as your organization, the Church State Council?
Those wishing to learn more can visit http://www.churchstate.org.
About Alan J. Reinach, Esq….
Alan J Reinach, Esq., is a Seventh-day Adventist minister and attorney, and is lead trial counsel for petitioner, Gerald Groff. He has served as Executive Director and General Counsel of the Church State Council, the oldest public policy and legal services organization in the southwest devoted to religious freedom and the separation of church and state since 1994. For more than three decades, his law practice has emphasized representing workers denied religious accommodation, or subjected to harassment and/or retaliation because of their faith.
CONTACT: Jerry McGlothlin 919-437-0001, or geraldmcg@outlook.com.
