According to the EEOC:
Hank’s Furniture, Inc. (HFI), a nationwide furniture retailer, has agreed to pay $110,000 and provide other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as announced by the federal agency today.
The lawsuit alleged that a former assistant manager at HFI’s Pensacola, Florida, location informed the company that her religious beliefs prohibited her from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Instead of engaging in a discussion about the employee’s religious beliefs to assess the possibility of an accommodation, management disregarded the accommodation requests, denied them outright, and challenged the sincerity of her religious beliefs.
This purported behavior violated Title VII’s ban on religious discrimination, which mandates that an employer must accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs if the employer is aware or suspects that the beliefs conflict with a company requirement, and if accommodating the beliefs does not pose an undue burden on the employer. The EEOC initiated legal action (EEOC v. Hank’s Furniture, Inc., Case No. 3:23-cv-24533-MCR-HTC) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida after initially attempting to settle the matter through the agency’s conciliation process.
As part of the three-year agreement to resolve the case, HFI will also establish and enforce a written policy ensuring that employees are informed that HFI will interpret religious accommodation requests broadly in line with EEOC guidelines and will make accommodations for religious beliefs that do not create an undue burden on the company. Furthermore, decision-makers, managers, and employees will undergo updated training regarding Title VII’s religious accommodation and anti-discrimination provisions.
“Despite the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, employers must not forget their responsibility to accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs, unless such accommodation would impose an undue burden,” stated Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Birmingham District Office. “The principles and ideals of Title VII remain steadfast, even in the face of a pandemic.”
Birmingham District Director Bradley Anderson remarked, “Employees should not be required to abandon their religious beliefs in order to retain their jobs. This case should serve as a reminder that employers should provide accommodations for religious beliefs unless doing so would result in an undue hardship.”
Credit to Prof. Howard Friedman (Religion Clause) for the reference.
