On May 17, 2022, the Mayo Clinic was sued by a former employee who believes her religious freedoms were violated by the Clinic’s workplace vaccine policies. Notably, Mayo Clinic accepted the plaintiff’s request for a religious exemption from its vaccine requirement. But the employee, Sherry Ihde, claims Mayo Clinic’s requirement that employees exempt from the
Michigan Hospital Sued for Failing to Accommodate Religious Belief over Flu Vaccine
How far does an employer have to go to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs? That is an issue raised in a lawsuit filed by the EEOC against Memorial Healthcare on February 13 (EEOC v Memorial Healthcare).
The suit claims the Michigan hospital failed to reasonably accommodate Yvonne Bair’s religious practices when it rescinded
Corporate Religious Beliefs – A New Defense in Employment Discrimination Claims?
The tension between employment discrimination and religious freedom recently played out in a Michigan federal district court case. In that case, EEOC v. R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, the employer’s religious freedom won out over the rights of a transgender employee. Specifically, the judge ruled that a metro Detroit funeral home did not
Religious Discrimination Guidance Issued by the EEOC
Employers should be aware of the recent guidance on federal protections for religious discrimination issued as a result of the interagency effort between the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Specifically, the EEOC released on 7/22/2016 its religious discrimination guidance, which focuses on younger employees and explaining how the laws
Can an Employer’s Religious Belief Defeat a Discriminatory Firing?
Can an employer’s religious beliefs defeat an otherwise discriminatory termination? Employers in Michigan may soon have much-needed guidance on this issue based on an employment discrimination case filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in Federal District Court in Michigan.
Specifically, the EEOC filed a lawsuit against RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes, Inc.
Religious Accommodations in the Workplace and Chinese New Year
Today marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year, which is also known as the Spring Festival. Traditionally and especially in China, this celebration last 15 days. This festival is also a celebration that involves both cultural and religious elements. For this reason, it is an excellent backdrop for discussing an employer’s obligations on
Reversal of Jury Verdict in Religious Discrimination Lawsuit – Divine Intervention or Judicial Mistake?
A nursing home activities aide who was fired for refusing to pray the Rosary with a resident failed to prove job bias because she didn’t present sufficient evidence that her employer, Woodland Village Nursing Center Inc., knew before it decided to discharge her that plaintiff’s refusal to pray the rosary was based on her religious
Legal and Business Concerns in Responding to Employee Religious and Moral Objections
Employers are often on the verge of becoming caught up in a firestorm when it comes to the religious and moral beliefs of employees. On the one hand there is the legal risks. But on the other, no business owner wants his or her business to be “trending” as the subject of a divisive public
Of Ducks and Men – Duck Dynasty and the Misunderstanding of Religious Discrimination and First Amendment Rights in the Workplace
A&E recently suspended Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson “indefinitely” for comments he made in a GQ interview regarding his views on homosexuality and race relations.
This suspension and those comments have erupted into a cultural firestorm. The bulk of that discussion, however, is based on incorrect assumptions that have began to masquerade as legitimate claims
Religion in the Workplace: Avoiding Religious Discrimination Claims
This week marked the beginning of Ramadan, which is the Islamic month of fasting. Participating Muslims generally refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. Ramadan is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God.
It is also a good reminder for the need to understand restrictions against religious discrimination