Wednesday, August 26, 2015

EEOC Sues National Federation of the Blind For Refusing To Accommodate Employee's Sabbath Observance

The EEOC announced last week that it has filed suit in a Maryland federal district court against the National Federation of the Blind for religious discrimination.  The EEOC summarizes the charges:
Joseph R. Massey II is a practicing Hebrew Pentecostal, a Christian denomination, and abstains from working from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday based on his sincerely-held religious beliefs.  The National Federation of the Blind hired Massey for a bookkeeping position at its Baltimore office in November 2013.  In January 2014, the Federation told Massey he had to work certain Saturdays.  Massey explained he could not work Saturdays due to his religious faith and suggested alternatives such as working on Sundays or working late on week nights other than Fridays.  EEOC charged that the Federation refused to provide any reasonable accommodation and instead fired Massey because he could not work Saturdays due to his religious beliefs.