Supreme Court Expands Workplace Religious Protections
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a unanimous ruling that redefines how employers must handle religious accommodation requests. In a 9–0 decision, the Court sided with Pennsylvania postal worker Gerald Groff, setting a powerful new standard that could impact millions of workers across faith traditions.
A Landmark Shift in Legal Standards
The Court overturned the 1977 Trans World Airlines v. Hardison precedent, replacing the lenient “de minimis” standard with a far more protective framework. Employers must now show “significant difficulty or expense” before denying a religious accommodation request.
This marks one of the most significant expansions of religious workplace protections in decades, moving closer to the requirements already applied under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
From Sunday Deliveries to a Nationwide Impact
Groff, an evangelical Christian, challenged the U.S. Postal Service’s requirement that he deliver Amazon packages on Sundays—his Sabbath. His personal stand became the catalyst for a sweeping legal change, with implications far beyond his case.
Ending a Tool for Discrimination
For decades, the “de minimis” threshold allowed employers to reject accommodations for even minor costs or inconveniences. Lower courts applied the rule so narrowly that it stripped Title VII of its intended protections.
By setting a higher bar, the Court restored the balance Congress envisioned, ensuring that religious rights cannot be dismissed in the name of economic convenience.
A Unanimous Statement from the Bench
The rare 9–0 agreement reflects a shared recognition across the Court’s ideological spectrum: the old standard failed to protect religious employees. This decision sends a clear message—religious liberty in the workplace deserves meaningful protection.
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