The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of Pennsylvania postal worker Gerald Groff in a closely followed case involving religious accommodations in the workplace. Groff, a Christian mail carrier, challenged a requirement that he deliver Amazon packages on Sundays, which he observes as a Sabbath day. His legal team argued that existing legal standards used by employers and courts have made it too difficult for workers to receive accommodations for sincerely held religious practices.
In its 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court revisited a legal standard established in a 1977 case involving workplace religious accommodations. The earlier ruling allowed employers to deny accommodations if they created more than a minimal burden on business operations. The new decision clarified how courts should interpret the “undue hardship” standard under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires employers to reasonably accommodate employees’ religious practices whenever possible.
Groff’s attorney, Aaron Streett, argued before the court that lower courts had relied too heavily on the older “de minimis” standard when rejecting accommodation requests. He urged the justices to apply a stronger interpretation similar to standards used in other federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. Religious organizations representing Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and other faith communities also supported the case, saying the previous standard placed unfair pressure on workers with religious obligations.