Justice Department Settles Religious Discrimination Suit Against Florida County

The U.S. Department of Justice yesterday announced that it had reached agreement with Palm Beach County, Florida in connection with a complaint that the county had refused to reasonably accommodate a park ranger's request that his work schedule permit him to attend church and refrain from work on Sundays. The agreement to reinstate the ranger, who resigned after accommodations were refused, will be incorporated into a consent decree in a Title VII religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the Justice Department in a Florida federal district court. The agreement also provides for back pay and retroactive pension contributions for the ranger, and for enforcement and training so that the county's existing religious accommodation policy is properly enforced.