PJI Helps California Woman Secure Religious Accommodation at Work

Agape Press reports a victory for our new sister in Christ, Isabel Mendoza, of Seal Beach, California, who became a Christian last summer.
After becoming a Christian, she asked her employer to change her work schedule so that she could attend church on Sunday mornings. Not only did they tell her no, they also told her she would have to take a vacation day in order to attend her own baptism.

From the article,
Mendoza contacted the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), a pro-family legal group, for assistance in the matter. Brad Dacus, president of the legal education, defense, and policy organization, says the client's employer reversed its original decision not long after receiving a letter explaining what the law says about workers' rights with regard to their religious expression.
"The current state of the law is that, unless there is proof of undue hardship, under both state and federal law an employer must take measures to see if an employee can be accommodated with regards to having religious days off, including having Sunday off to go to church," Dacus says. "If employees like Ms. Mendoza are not protected, she would have to choose between keeping and practicing her Christian faith and her ability to have a job."
While employers' responsibilities to accommodate their workers' religious expression can be a "difficult area to navigate," the PJI spokesman admits, he adds that the law is unequivocal on this point. The statute "clearly says that, if the employer is not going to suffer an undue burden or hardship, [it must] reasonably accommodate an employee's religious beliefs and convictions to practice their faith," he asserts.
"In 99 percent of the circumstances, there's no reason why an employer should not allow an employee to be able to have time off to go to church," Dacus notes. But because the legal issues involved can be tricky for all parties concerned, he says PJI is glad to assist both employers and employees of faith who wish to understand their rights and opportunities in the workplace.

Read the rest of the article here.

It always does my heart good to see a Christian win out against tyranny. I also want to recognize the efforts of the Pacific Justice Institute in defending Ms. Mendoza. It's important for us to continue to support these Godly organizations.