EEOC Gets $110K Settlement for Employer's Ignoring Religious Accommodation Requests as to Vaccine Mandate

From the EEOC:

Hank's Furniture, Inc. (HFI), a nationwide furniture retailer, will pay $110,000 and furnish other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According to the lawsuit, a former assistant manager at HFI's Pensacola, Florida, location notified the company that her religious beliefs prevented her from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Rather than discuss the employee's religious beliefs to determine the feasibility of an accommodation, management ignored accommodation requests then summarily denied the employee's requests and attempted to dispute the validity of her sincerely-held religious beliefs.

Such alleged conduct violated Title VII's prohibition on religious discrimination, which requires an employer to accommodate an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs if the employer knows or suspects the beliefs conflict with an employer requirement, and there is no undue burden on the employer. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Hank's Furniture, Inc., Case No. 3:23-cv-24533-MCR-HTC) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

Under the three-year decree settling the case, HFI will also adopt and implement a written policy assuring employees HFI will interpret religious accommodation requests broadly based on EEOC guidance and will accommodate religious beliefs that do not put an undue burden on the company. Additionally, decision makers, managers and employees will receive updated training about Title VII's religious accommodation and anti-discrimination provisions.

"Although the COVID-19 pandemic posed novel issues, employers must remain mindful of their obligation to accommodate sincerely held religious beliefs of employees, absent an undue burden," said Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC's Birmingham District Office. "Title VII's principles and ideals stand strong, even during a pandemic."

Birmingham District Director Bradley Anderson said, "Employees should not have to renounce their religious beliefs in order to remain employed. Let this case serve as a reminder that employers should afford accommodation for religious beliefs unless doing so would cause an undue hardship."