Religious Accommodation in Workplace

Religious Accommodation in Workplace

Davis v. Fort Bend County 765 F. 3d 480 (5th Cir. 2015), cert. denied 135 S. Ct. 2804 (2015)

1. What are the legal issues in this case? What did the appeals court decide?
2. Was this employee acting in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or practice when she missed work on the morning of June 3, 2011? Why or why not?
3. What do you think of the dissenting judge’s focus on the underlying motivation of employees in assessing whether their beliefs or actions are religious in nature? Do you agree with his statement that attendance at a church service because one enjoys listening to the choir is not a religious belief or practice? Why or why not?
4. Was there a reasonable accommodation that this employer could have provided without incurring undue hardship? Why or why not?
5. Do you agree with the decision in this case? Why or why not?

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APA

Religious Accommodation in Workplace

Legal Issues in Davis v. Fort Bend County

The primary legal issue in this case was whether Fort Bend County violated the employee’s rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by failing to accommodate her religious beliefs. Specifically, the case addressed whether the employee was terminated unlawfully for not attending work due to a religious obligation and whether her absence constituted a sincerely held religious belief.

Appeals Court Decision

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the employee, Davis. The court held that Title VII protections for religious beliefs and practices include not only traditional religious practices but also sincerely held personal beliefs. The court rejected Fort Bend County’s argument that Davis’ absence was not motivated by a sincerely held religious belief.

Employee’s Sincerely Held Religious Belief

The court determined that the employee was acting in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief when she missed work on June 3, 2011. Davis had