Truck Driver’s Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Reaches Resolution, Land Line Media Reports
Blue Eagle, a California mail-delivery company, has agreed to pay $60,000 to settle a federal lawsuit alleging that it failed to accommodate a truck driver’s religious observance by scheduling him to work on Sundays.
Settlement Resolves EEOC Lawsuit
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced the settlement on Sept. 25. The lawsuit alleged that Blue Eagle denied former driver Gerstman’s repeated requests for Sundays off so he could attend church.
Under the two-and-a-half-year consent decree, the company will provide back pay and compensatory damages to Gerstman. Blue Eagle also must review and revise its religious-accommodation policies and practices and provide related employee training.
Title VII Religious Accommodation Requirements
According to the EEOC, refusing to accommodate an employee’s religious practices, when doing so would not create an undue hardship for the employer, can violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The federal agency is authorized to investigate and litigate employment discrimination claims involving private-sector employers. The settlement resolves the allegations without a trial.
