4th Circuit Finds Employer Adequately Accommodated Religious Observances

In Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Firestone Fibers & Textiles Co., (4th Cir., Feb. 11, 2008), the U.S. 4th Circuit court of Appeals, this week held that Title VII of the 1964 civil Rights Act only requires reasonable accommodation of an employee's religious practices, and not total elimination of the conflict between the religious practice and the work requirement. It held that an employer's pre-existing attendance policies, accompanied by certain other arrangements, reasonably accommodated an employee who was a member of the Living Church of God who wanted time off for Sabbath observance and religious holidays. [Thanks to Blog from the Capital for the lead.]