Written by Don Byrd
The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty today issued a statement applauding the Supreme Court’s ruling in Abercrombie in favor of a Muslim job applicant rejected because of her religious headscarf.
Here is an excerpt from the statement:
The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the importance of protecting religious freedom in the workplace in its 8-1 ruling today, noting that employers have a duty to reasonably accommodate employees’ religion and avoid religious discrimination against prospective employees.
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K. Hollyn Hollman, general counsel for the BJC, said the Court’s decision means religion should not disqualify anyone from a job. “The Court today confirmed the fundamental principle in Title VII’s ban on religious discrimination in employment. Neither a person’s religion nor the potential need to accommodate a religious practice should be a basis for denying a prospective employee a job.”
The BJC filed a brief with the Court in the case, arguing against Abercrombie’s interpretation of the Civil Rights Act. Today’s ruling by the Court rejects that interpretation, which would have increased the burden on job applicants denied for religious reasons. You can read an excerpt from the Supreme Court’s opinion in an earlier post here.
