RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION COVERAGE EXPANDING?

A couple of years ago we posted an article entitled, “Church Lady Smites DOD.”  It discussed an EEOC case in which the employee had asked that her work hours be adjusted so she could not just attend church services, but also Sunday school and afternoon church meetings.  Even we were surprised that the laws requiring a reasonable accommodation for religious practices extends beyond the formal worship service to related activities. But it appears that the trend to expand the religious activities protected by the law continues.  The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (Davis v. Fort Bend County) just issued a decision extending protection for attendance at a ground-breaking ceremony for a new church.  Check out this more thorough story about the decision from the law firm of Outten & Golden.  Of course, this is only one Circuit Court and the decision could be overturned on appeal.  But it demonstrates that protecting employee rights to participate in a broad spectrum of religious activity is reasonable.