Land Line Media: Truck Driver’s Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Reaches Resolution
Blue Eagle has agreed to pay $60,000 to settle an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging that the company failed to accommodate a truck driver’s religious practice of attending church on Sundays.
Settlement includes back pay and damages
Under the two-and-a-half-year consent decree, Blue Eagle will pay former driver Gerstman back pay and compensatory damages, according to the EEOC. The agency announced the settlement Sept. 25.
The lawsuit alleged that the California mail-delivery company scheduled Gerstman to work on Sundays despite repeated requests for time off to attend church. The EEOC said the alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on religion.
Company to review accommodation practices
In addition to the monetary payment, Blue Eagle agreed to review and revise its religious accommodation policies and practices. The consent decree also requires the company to provide training related to religious discrimination and workplace accommodations.
Title VII generally requires employers to reasonably accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs or practices unless doing so would create an undue hardship for the employer.
EEOC enforcement role
The EEOC is the federal agency responsible for investigating and litigating alleged violations of federal employment discrimination laws involving private-sector employers. The agency said employers may not discriminate against workers because of their religion or reject accommodation requests without meeting the requirements of Title VII.
