Accommodating an Employee’s Sincerely Held Religious Belief – A Pennsylvania District Court Offers a Roadmap
KEY TAKEAWAYS: A recent federal court case provides guidance on how to address an employee’s request for an accommodation based upon a sincerely held religious belief Employers must offer reasonable accommodations for the sincerely held religious beliefs of employees who seek exemptions from certain mandates and policies In addressing the request for a reasonable accommodation, employers should not address the validity or plausibility of the employee’s belief Employers may consider if the sincerely held religious belief is based upon secular beliefs by evaluating how the employee frames their request, but still, employers should do so cautiously A recent federal court case heard by Chief Judge Matthew Brann for the Middle District of Pennsylvania provides employers with guidance on how to address an employee’s request for an accommodation based upon a sincerely held religious belief. In Rackovan v. The Pennsylvania State University , the employee sought to be exempted from the uni...