We Fought for This Employee's Faith in the Workplace – and Won

At the ACLJ, we know that your freedom of religion doesn’t end when you clock in for work. The right of every American to live out their faith, at home, in public, and even in the office, is a constitutional promise we are committed to protecting.

Under federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, employers are explicitly prohibited from discriminating against employees because of their sincerely held religious beliefs. This isn’t just a theoretical protection; it’s a legal right that is enforceable. When those rights are violated, we take immediate action.

We recently had a case that shows exactly how powerful this can be when someone decides to stand up for their rights. While we can’t name names under the agreement, we wanted to take a moment to emphasize the importance of the ACLJ’s action, even in cases we can’t explicitly mention.

A dedicated employee with a long history of faithful service was suddenly fired. The company tried to paint the termination as a routine dismissal, but something didn’t add up. The employee had a deeply held religious commitment that had created tension in the workplace more than once. It was a faith he was unwilling to hide to keep his company happy, a faith he wanted to live out. Unfortunately, this is a fact pattern all too common. The timing and circumstances of the firing raised serious concerns that this was not about performance: It was about faith.

The company initially offered a standard severance package, hoping to make the issue go away. But the employee knew this was more than a simple dispute; it was a potential violation of one of our most fundamental constitutional freedoms: the free exercise of religion.

That’s when the employee reached out to the ACLJ. And we took his case seriously.

Our legal team immediately reviewed the facts and the applicable law. We then drafted a powerful demand letter, laying out our legal concerns in detail and explaining how the company’s actions may have constituted unlawful religious discrimination. We wouldn’t back down. While nobody, including our client, wanted litigation, our letter made it clear that we were prepared to act if a just resolution wasn’t reached.

At first, the company pushed back, insisting the firing had nothing to do with religion. But when faced with the serious threat of litigation – and the significant costs, exposure, and reputational harm that come with it – their posture changed entirely. The employer suddenly and substantially increased their severance offer.

How substantial? Five times the original amount.

While we are unable to disclose the specific details of the resolution due to a confidentiality agreement, this outcome was more than just a financial victory, and it’s an incredible victory for religious liberty. It was an implicit acknowledgment that religious discrimination had occurred and that the company was not willing to defend its actions in court.

And importantly, we represented this client at no cost. Just as we do for countless others, we stepped in because religious liberty is worth fighting for, regardless of a client’s ability to pay. Stories like these are precisely why the ACLJ exists: to be on the front lines, defending religious liberty when it’s under attack, and to ensure that no American is forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood.

If you believe you have been targeted at work because of your religious beliefs – whether through harassment, the denial of a reasonable accommodation, or wrongful termination – you are not alone. We urge you to contact us. Our dedicated legal team is ready to assess your situation, defend your rights, and, if necessary, pursue justice on your behalf.

Your faith is not a liability. It is a fundamental right. And we are here to defend it.