Megacorporation GE FIRED Christian High School Student for Going to Church – ACLJ Fighting To Defend Him

We are committed to standing up for Christians who face unlawful discrimination in the workplace. That’s why we’re currently advising our client, Eli, who was just a teenager when he was unjustly fired by General Electric (GE) for going to church to observe a Sabbath day.

Eli, a devout Christian, has faithfully observed a weekly Sabbath – a sacred day of rest and worship – for as long as he can remember. Employed by GE through a high school training program, he informed his employer of his sincerely held religious practice and repeatedly requested a reasonable accommodation: to have his Sabbath day off from work. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are legally required to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

But instead of respecting his religious convictions, GE told Eli, in no uncertain terms, that if he did not show up to work on Saturdays, the day of his Sabbath, he would be fired. Eli remained true to his faith – and GE followed through on its threat and fired Eli on the day of his high school graduation. He was fired for what they labeled as “attendance issues” – a pretext for punishing him for practicing his religion. GE claimed an undue hardship prevented them from accommodating Eli’s request but never specified the hardship.

This was not only predatory but also illegal behavior toward a high school student.

Eli’s case is now in the mediation phase with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and has been lingering for a significant period of time. Eli was a newly graduated high school student when he filed charges of discrimination and retaliation against GE. He is now in his early twenties. Because of this unreasonable delay in resolution, we are now representing him through every step of the process. We are fighting to hold GE accountable for its discriminatory actions and to ensure that Eli receives justice.

No one should be forced to choose between their job and their faith – especially a teenager. Federal law is clear. Religious liberty is not optional – it’s protected. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations for religious practices unless doing so would cause undue hardship, which is a high bar under the law. In Eli’s case, there was no indication that honoring his Sabbath accommodation would have caused an undue hardship.

Religious freedom is one of the foundational principles of our Constitution; and when it’s under attack, the ACLJ will be there to defend it. We’re standing with Eli – and with every American whose rights are threatened by unlawful religious discrimination.

We ask that you join us in praying for Eli and for a just and swift resolution to this case. And if you or someone you know has faced religious discrimination in the workplace, we encourage you to contact us. You are not alone.