by Jorge Gomez • 2 minutes
We received a tremendous outpouring of support in our case involving Valerie Kloosterman, a physician assistant who was fired because of her religious beliefs. The University of Michigan Health System terminated her for seeking a religious accommodation from a DEI initiative requiring her to affirm statements about gender identity that conflicted with her Christian faith.
First Liberty is fighting her case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Recently, a diverse coalition of medical professionals, employment associations, legal experts and scholars, two states and three nonprofit policy and public interest organizations filed friends-of-the-court (amicus) briefs supporting Valerie. The organizations were:
A total of seven briefs were filed, which is really encouraging at this stage of the legal process. Amicus briefs are common for U.S. Supreme Court cases, but they’re relatively rare at the appeals court level. So, it’s very significant to have this many briefs supporting Valerie. It’s clear that Americans of different backgrounds, faiths and professions recognize the implications this case could have for religious people in the workplace.
Last fall, we got a positive update on the case. A judge allowed Valerie’s federal lawsuit to proceed, which was a step in the right direction so that she could continue her battle for justice in the courtroom. The ruling even cited our Supreme Court victory in the Coach Kennedy case, which bolstered Valerie’s claims of religious hostility.
After this favorable ruling, the University of Michigan Health tried to change the game. The company tried forcing this case out of court, even though they’d fought us in court for over a year. They wanted to do it through arbitration, a process that would have stacked the deck against our client.
The amicus briefs point out the problems with this kind of gamesmanship. They explain why Valerie’s case belongs in court, where her civil and constitutional rights can be vindicated.
We’re incredibly grateful for the strong and diverse coalition that’s rallied around this case. Valerie has endured a tough legal battle for nearly two years. This amount of support shows that she’s not alone in this fight.
Medical professionals like Valerie should not have to abandon their religious beliefs in order to remain employed. Valerie deserves to get her job back without having to violate her religious convictions, so that she can continue caring for her community and her patients.
It’s wrong to force Americans to choose between their faith and their livelihood. Religious discrimination in the workplace is illegal. The law states that employers are obligated to provide reasonable accommodations for religious exercise, if it can be accomplished without causing undue hardship on the business.
We must protect the rights of all Americans to practice their faith without fear of losing their job. Please give now and join First Liberty in this fight. Your support is essential in delivering a legal victory for Valerie—and for many Americans who are singled out for their faith in the workplace.
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