DOJ files lawsuit against Texas prison agency for denying religious accomodation
The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against a Texas prison agency for allegedly denying religious accommodation to an employee over wearing a head covering.
Franches Spears, who was a records clerk within the agency’s Pam Lychner State Jail near Humble, Texas, was first put on leave with pay and later terminated after wearing a head covering “as an expression of her Ifa faith.”
“Employers cannot require employees to forfeit their religious beliefs or improperly question the sincerity of those beliefs,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a statement.
“This lawsuit is a reminder to all employers of their clear legal obligation to offer reasonable religious accommodations. In our country, employers cannot force an employee to choose between their faith and their job.”
The federal lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of Texas on Friday against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). It alleges that the agency violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The lawsuit alleges that Spears requested to wear the head covering in accordance with her religion. TDCJ refused to accommodate her request, first suspending her without compensation and later terminating her employment after not wanting to remove her head scarf, according to court documents.
Spears wore the head covering in September 2019. After over a month of wearing it without objections, she was directed to human resources and informed of breaching the agency’s “business-casual uniform and grooming standards for non-uniformed employees,” according to the complaint.
There, she elaborated on her Ifa faith but was allegedly told by Human Resources Specialist Elizabeth Fisk “basically you just pray to a rock.”
Spears was told to complete the “Religious Accommodation Form,’ but was cautioned that “your accommodation may not ever get approved.”
“Spears felt compelled to adhere to the tenets of her faith and declined to remove her head covering to continue working. As a result, TDCJ placed her on indefinite unpaid leave,” the complaint alleges.
Apart from seeking a permanent injunction to stop the prison agency from performing discrimination based on religion, the DOJ is seeking to “fully compensate her for the pain and suffering” caused by TDCJ.
Date: |
Filter
-
IRS whistleblowers ask judge to toss Hunter Biden lawsuit against the tax agency
IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler are also asking to intervene in the case, arguing the IRS has a conflict of interest in the matter.CBS News - Top stories - Joe Biden
More from The Hill
-
Democrats can still jettison Biden as an ‘August Surprise’
A growing number of Democrats see Biden as becoming the political version of “Groundhog Day.” Every night they go to sleep dreaming of having a new nominee and every morning they wake up to the same old Biden.The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden -
Senate GOP looks to Trump to keep hold of House majority
Senate Republicans believe the party’s chances of retaining its slim House majority will sink or swim with former President Trump in November as Democrats remain cautiously bullish of winning back the chamber despite chaos in the House GOP ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
GOP pollster Luntz likens congressional lawmakers to 'cast members on Bravo' over House shouting match
GOP pollster Frank Luntz likened members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee to “cast members on Bravo” Thursday. “You know American leadership is in a crisis when you can’t tell the difference between congressional reps on C-SPAN ...The Hill - Politics -
Your cash has an estimated lifespan: Will you need to replace it?
Spoiler alert: On average, our money doesn't last longer than 30 years.The Hill - Politics -
Police investigation concludes Boeing whistleblower took his own life
A police investigation into a former Boeing manager who raised questions about safety at the company and was found dead after giving depositions concluded Friday, with law enforcement saying their findings point to the manager having taken his own ...The Hill - Politics