Christian Agency Entitled To Hire On Basis of Religion Under Title VII

In Jackson v. Light of Life Ministries, Inc., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75265 (WD PA, Oct. 16, 2006), a Pennsylvania federal district court rejected a Title VII religious discrimination claim that was brought by a part-time program aide at a Christian social service agency that provided food, shelter and outreach to the homeless. Raymond Jackson, a Jehovah's Witness, claimed that he was not hired full-time because of his religion, and then was fired in retaliation for filing an EEOC complaint. The court found that Light of Life was clearly a religious organization entitled to hire on the basis of religion under Title VII, and that the exemption applied even though Jackson's job did not require him to engage in religious counseling or religious activities.