Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Monday, March 25, 2019
Firefighter Not Entitled To Religious Exemption From Grooming Policy
In Smith v. City of Atlantic City, (D NJ, March 22, 2019), a New Jersey federal district court upheld the refusal by the Atlantic City Fire Department to grant a long-time employee a religious exemption from the Department's grooming policy. Plaintiff is an African American male and a Christian who has recently decided to grow a 3-inch beard as an expression of his religious faith. Rejecting plaintiff's application for a temporary restraining order, the court concluded that he was unlikely to succeed on the merits of his free exercise, equal protection or Title VII claim.