Hospital Backs Down From Banning Employee Bible Study After ACLJ Demand Letter

We cannot emphasize enough that employees do not shed their religious liberty when they enter the workplace. The ACLJ just achieved another great victory on behalf of our client, who had fallen victim to religious discrimination by her employer.

We informed you earlier this month of a demand letter we sent to a Kansas hospital, where our client was prohibited from having a Bible study with fellow employees anywhere on the hospital’s premises, even during their lunch breaks. We were prepared to take further legal action, but presumably, after realizing its conduct violated federal law, the hospital backed down.

In our legal letter, we demanded that the hospital allow our client’s religious expression with co-workers to the same extent that private, nonreligious expression between co-workers is permitted. In its response to our letter, the hospital assured us that our client will now be permitted to discuss the Bible, her faith, and any such topics with fellow employees during lunch breaks in the hospital’s cafeteria or other break rooms around the premises.

As we told you when we first took legal action, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects against religious discrimination. Thus, prohibiting an employee from expressing her religious beliefs with co-workers during their break time, while allowing other employees to share their personal beliefs with co-workers on their break time, is religious discrimination and violates federal law.

We remain dedicated and committed to defending the religious liberties protected by federal law and the U.S. Constitution. If you or someone you know has experienced workplace religious discrimination, the ACLJ is here for you and happy to assist in any way we can. Please contact us at ACLJ.org/HELP.