News Release
For Immediate Release: 9.27.22
Contact: Peyton Luke, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Members of Congress, Seventeen States Among Briefs Urging U.S. Supreme Court to Take Employee Religious Liberty Rights Case
Briefs urge Justices to enforce federal law that protects the right of American workers to honor Sabbath
Washington, D.C.–Members of Congress, seventeen state Attorneys General and several religious organizations are among fourteen “friend-of-the-court” briefs urging the Supreme Court of the United States to take the case of former United States Postal Service (“USPS”) employee Gerald Groff. Groff petitioned the Court to reverse a Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision finding that the USPS is not required to provide a religious accommodation allowing Groff to observe the Sunday Sabbath.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of support for our client,” said Stephanie Taub, Senior Counsel for First Liberty. “We are hopeful the Supreme Court will take his case and protect the right of every American to live out their faith in the workplace without fear of getting fired.”
Gerald Groff began his career with the USPS in 2012 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, as a mail carrier. When the post office started delivering packages on Sundays for Amazon, Groff asked for a religious accommodation to observe Sunday Sabbath. The postmaster initially granted his request, allowing him to work additional shifts on other days of the week instead, but later the USPS offered only proposals that would still require Groff to work on Sundays and thereby violate his conscience. Forced to choose between his faith and his career, Groff resigned and sued the USPS. The district court sided with the USPS, concluding that accommodating Groff would pose an undue hardship on USPS. The Third Circuit upheld that decision.
Groff is represented by First Liberty Institute, Baker Botts LLP, the Church State Council, and the Independence Law Center.
Attorneys for Groff, argue that, as a federal employee with USPS, Title VII protects Groff from discrimination based on his religious beliefs and practices. They suggest the Supreme Court re-examine TWA v. Hardison, the key case that the lower courts relied upon in reaching their decisions denying Groff’s religious discrimination claim.
Links to all the briefs are available here.
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact Peyton Luke at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
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