Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Virginia Man Sues Employer For Failing To Accommodate His Sunday Observance

The Charlottesville Daily Progress reports today that Jeffery King, a Baptist pastor who also worked at a Charlottesville, Virginia pharmacy services facilty of Cardinal Health, Inc., has filed a Title VII religious discrimination lawsuit against his former employer in federal district court. The lawsuit, seeking reinstatement and back pay, claims that Cardinal Health failed to reasonably accommodate King's request to avoid working on Sundays for religious reasons. Apparently the company refused King's offer to work Saturdays instead of Sundays because not all of its other employees would agree in writing to cover King's Sunday shifts. The problem arose after a 2006 change in company policy that required employees to work on Sundays.

UPDATE: The Daily Progress on Jan. 23 reported that King's lawsuit as well as a religious discrimination lawsuit against Cardinal Health by a second plaintiff have been settled.