US Supreme Court considers Christian mail carrier's refusal to work Sundays

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An evangelical Christian former mail carrier's fight with the U.S. Postal Service over his refusal to work on Sundays gives the Supreme Court another chance to widen religious rights but also has led to a debate over whether religious people are more legally deserving than others to weekend days off from work.

The justices are set to hear arguments on Tuesday in an appeal by Gerald Groff, a former mail carrier in Pennsylvania, of a lower court's ruling rejecting his claim of religious discrimination against the Postal Service for refusing to exempt him from working on Sundays, when he observes the Christian Sabbath. Groff sued after being disciplined for repeatedly failing to show up when assigned a Sunday work shift.

The court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, has a track record of expanding religious rights in recent years, often siding with Christian plaintiffs. A ruling favoring Groff could make it harder for businesses to deny a variety of religious accommodations to employees.

-snip-

Boston University School of Law employment law expert Michael Harper said that a ruling favoring Groff could "give a preference to the religious because they get to stay home on their Sabbath or their day of rest" that would be denied to nonreligious people.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-supreme-court-considers-christian-120459338.html

If SCOTUS finds for Groff then Moslems should be allowed Friday off. See how the RWNJs react to that.

[ret5hd]

1. What's the best day at Olive Garden?

Curious Pastafarians want to know.

[milestogo]

2. I remember when USPS didn't deliver on Sundays.

[jimfields33]

3. I think they just do packages and sort mail at the distribution centers.

[OhNo-Really]

4. I'm old enough to remember when everything was closed on Sundays

As. Child, I assumed that no business were open was meant to give everyone a day of rest and family time.

In our rural town, and as a child I didn’t think about the essential workers at hospitals ext.

It was so quiet on the olden days of the 1950s. The upside was a developed love for reading to lass the time.

[Shermann]

8. I'm at least old enough to remember when everything was closed on national holidays!

These megacorps nowadays never close.

[OhNo-Really]

12. Unfettered Greed

And somehow people became conditioned to become masochistic employees and sadistic managers at all levels



Sarcasm

[Shermann]

5. Astute job-seekers will request the employee handbook prior to accepting any offer

This works both ways. Employers should probably require that you read it and sign an acknowledgement.

That said, I don't think required weekend work could have possibly come as a surprise, so this guy likely isn't acting in good faith.

[nini]

6. When I worked at the post office way back

….a 7th day Adventist didn’t have to work Saturday. Came in with little seniority and got one of the prime days off. I don’t remember anything about it came about but it wasn’t a popular exception since everyone else didn’t get an exemption.

This guy will get his way with that SC and it’s going to open a big can of worms. It’s going to have to be written into job agreements that you work certain days like everyone else but I’m not holding my breath anymore.

[catrose]

10. I wonder if Jews get Saturday off.

[Bev54]

7. Maybe he should move to Canada, our carriers only deliver on weekdays, with weekends off

except in exceptional circumstances such as the last day before Xmas etc. They get all stat days off.

[David__77]

9. I suspect this expansion of workers rights will not occur.

…

[Buckeyeblue]

13. I agree. It would create a lot of problems.

It's one thing if you go into a job and Sunday work isn't required and then something changes and Sundays are required. But if Sundays are required from the start and you are against working on Sundays, you shouldn't take the job.

[LiberalFighter]

11. He is allowed the same rights as those that work on Sunday.

Freedom of Religion has nothing to do with work.

Does he practice the Sabbath 100%? Or does he perform any work on those days?