Supreme Court Rules Unan

Supreme Court Expands Religious Rights at Work

Background

In a unanimous ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with Pennsylvania mail carrier Gerald Groff, who

claimed the Postal Service violated his faith by making him deliver packages on Sundays, his Sabbath.

Groff’s case challenged a 1977 precedent that let employers deny

religious accommodations if they caused “more than a de minimis cost.”

The New Standard

Writing for the Court, Justice Samuel Alito said, “The law does not permit trivial burdens on religious exercise to be used as an excuse for denying accommodations.”

Employers must now grant requests unless they cause “substantial increased costs” or undue hardship, aligning with the Americans with Disabilities Act standard.

Union Concerns

Postal unions warned that giving Sundays off could unfairly burden co-workers.

“A day off is not the special privilege of the religious,” one union brief stated.

Broader Impact

Groff said, “No American should have to sacrifice their faith in order to keep their job.”

Legal experts call the ruling a major win for religious liberty, reshaping how workplaces handle faith-based requests.