• Latest
SCOTUS to Hear Religious Case of Lancaster County Postal Worker

SCOTUS to Hear Religious Case of Lancaster County Postal Worker

January 19, 2023
Dodgers Pitcher Clayton Kershaw Displays Bible Verse on Hat During Pride Night

Dodgers Pitcher Clayton Kershaw Displays Bible Verse on Hat During Pride Night

June 17, 2025
Ken Ham: French Scientist Baulieu ‘Made the World a Much More Dangerous Place’

Ken Ham: French Scientist Baulieu ‘Made the World a Much More Dangerous Place’

June 13, 2025
Vinton County Residents Evacuated After Chemical Leak at Ohio Manufacturing Plant

Vinton County Residents Evacuated After Chemical Leak at Ohio Manufacturing Plant

June 12, 2025
Texas Governor Greg Abbott Deploys National Guard Amid Planned Immigration Protests

Texas Governor Greg Abbott Deploys National Guard Amid Planned Immigration Protests

June 11, 2025
Newsom: Secretary of Defense Is ‘Illegally Deploying’ Troops Amidst LA Protests

Newsom: Secretary of Defense Is ‘Illegally Deploying’ Troops Amidst LA Protests

June 10, 2025
Podcast – Lititz Pride Fest, Dinosaurs, and a New Cell Phone Law

Podcast – Lititz Pride Fest, Dinosaurs, and a New Cell Phone Law

June 9, 2025
Paul Miller’s Law Takes Effect in Pennsylvania, Banning Handheld Cellphone Use While Driving

Paul Miller’s Law Takes Effect in Pennsylvania, Banning Handheld Cellphone Use While Driving

June 6, 2025
N.T. Wright: Abortion Done ‘As Soon As Possible’ Is Okay for ‘Certain Exceptions’

N.T. Wright: Abortion Done ‘As Soon As Possible’ Is Okay for ‘Certain Exceptions’

June 5, 2025
Spencer: Neo-Nazi Ideology a ‘Far More Pernicious Threat’ Than Internet Porn

Spencer: Neo-Nazi Ideology a ‘Far More Pernicious Threat’ Than Internet Porn

June 5, 2025
Musk: Trump’s Spending Bill a ‘Disgusting Abomination’

Musk: Trump’s Spending Bill a ‘Disgusting Abomination’

June 4, 2025
Sicily’s Mount Etna Erupts with Ash Plumes; Officials Confirm No Threat to Population

Sicily’s Mount Etna Erupts with Ash Plumes; Officials Confirm No Threat to Population

June 2, 2025
Body of Missing Pennsylvania Park Ranger Recovered After Kayak Incident

Body of Missing Pennsylvania Park Ranger Recovered After Kayak Incident

May 27, 2025
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Sunday, July 6, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Lancaster Patriot
No Result
View All Result
  • Lancaster News
  • National News
  • Podcast
  • About Us
  • Future of Christendom
  • Lancaster News
  • National News
  • Podcast
  • About Us
  • Future of Christendom
No Result
View All Result
The Lancaster Patriot
No Result
View All Result
Home Lancaster News

SCOTUS to Hear Religious Case of Lancaster County Postal Worker

by Michael Yoder
January 19, 2023
in Lancaster News
1
SCOTUS to Hear Religious Case of Lancaster County Postal Worker
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The case involving a Lancaster County postal carrier who was forced out of his job after refusing to deliver packages on Sundays to observe the Christian Sabbath is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the case of Gerald E. Groff, an evangelical Christian postal worker who argued that his religious freedoms were violated when he was forced to quit his job with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) because he wouldn’t deliver Amazon packages on Sundays.

Groff’s case has been making its way through the federal court system for several years as the lower courts have sided with the USPS that it was not required to provide religious accommodation allowing an employee to observe the Sunday Sabbath. Groff has been represented by several First Amendment law firms, including the First Liberty Institute, Baker Botts LLP, the Church State Council and the Independence Law Center.

“Observing the Sabbath day is critical to many faiths — a day ordained by God,” said Randall Wenger, chief counsel of the Harrisburg-based Independence Law Center. “No one should be forced to violate the Sabbath to hold a job.”

Groff began his career with the USPS in 2012 as a rural carrier associate, a year before the post office was contracted by Amazon to deliver packages, including on Sundays. Groff had told the court he originally sought a job with the post office because it would allow him to honor the Sabbath on Sundays.

When the Quarryville Post Office began delivering packages on Sundays for Amazon, Groff chose to be reassigned to the Holtwood Post Office branch in August 2016 because it was not participating in the Sunday Amazon deliveries.

However, by March 2017, the Holtwood Post Office began making Sunday Amazon deliveries, putting Groff in conflict with the postmaster. Groff notified his superior that he would not report to work on Sundays due to his religious beliefs despite being scheduled to work.

The postmaster initially granted Groff’s request to remain off the Sunday schedule, but he was eventually required to work on Sundays. He missed more than two-dozen Sunday shifts and faced disciplinary action.

In 2019, Groff became aware he was facing termination from the USPS and resigned from his job. Shortly after resigning, Groff filed a federal lawsuit claiming the Postal Service illegally discriminated against him by failing to provide an appropriate accommodation for his religious observance.

“We are simply asking the Supreme Court to apply the law as written and require employers to grant meaningful religious accommodations to people of faith,” said Aaron Streett of Baker Botts LLP, one of Groff’s lawyers.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted summary judgment in favor of USPS in April 2021, ruling Groff had been treated the same as other postal employees and that Sunday service was necessary to the USPS’s business.

Groff appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which again sided with the lower court decision in May. U.S. Circuit Judge Patty Schwartz penned the opinion, applying the case TWA v. Hardison, which has protected corporations against religious arguments from employees.

The Hardison ruling said employees are not entitled to religious accommodations if implementing them would cause an “undue hardship” to an employer.

“It is unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees on the basis of religion,” said Kelly Shackelford, president, CEO and chief counsel for the First Liberty Institute. “It’s time for the Supreme Court to reconsider a decades old case that favors corporations and the government over the religious rights of employees.”

Oral arguments for the case have not yet been scheduled.

Michael Yoder
Investigative Journalist | michael@thelancasterpatriot.com |  + postsBio

Staff writer Michael Yoder is an award-winning journalist who has been honored with several Keystone Press Awards for his investigative pieces.

  • Michael Yoder
    https://www.thelancasterpatriot.com/author/michael/
    Lititz Police Investigate Swatting Incident
  • Michael Yoder
    https://www.thelancasterpatriot.com/author/michael/
    Local Farmers Question Avian Flu Outbreak on Ducks
  • Michael Yoder
    https://www.thelancasterpatriot.com/author/michael/
    Fire Damages Lancaster Bar, Leaves One Resident with Burns
  • Michael Yoder
    https://www.thelancasterpatriot.com/author/michael/
    Activists Pay Tribute to Munoz, Protesters in Lancaster
Next Post
Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams announces the launch of the Human Trafficking Task Force on January 11, 2022. (YouTube/Lancaster DA)

HTTF Celebrates First Anniversary Investigating Sex Trafficking

Comments 1

  1. Pingback: Groff: ‘I Never Thought I Would Lose My Job for Honoring the Lord’s Day’ - The Lancaster Patriot

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Lapp’s Toys: Putting Quality and Child Development First

Lapp’s Toys: Putting Quality and Child Development First

3 years ago
Pope Leo XIV Begins Papacy Emphasizing Unity and Christ as Church’s Foundation

Pope Leo XIV Begins Papacy Emphasizing Unity and Christ as Church’s Foundation

2 months ago

Popular Content

  • ‘David’ Premieres at Sight & Sound Theaters

    ‘David’ Premieres at Sight & Sound Theaters

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • New Fox Meadows Creamery Location Opens in Leola

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Canadian Gender ‘Equity’ Fire Training Program Leads to Out-of-Control Blaze

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Warns of Tax Scam

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Bible History Museum Gives People a Glimpse Into Biblical Times

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

facebook instagram gab telegram mewe

Newsletter

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH OUR E-MAIL NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our mailing list and receive updates direct to your inbox!

Category

  • Faith
  • Lancaster News
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Media
  • National News
  • PA News
  • Perspectives
  • World News

Site Links

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

About Us

The Lancaster Patriot and The Lancaster Patriot Podcast exist to provide a platform for biblical commentary on current events and robust discussion on the topics that matter most.

  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal Notices

Copyright © 2022 The Lancaster Patriot

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Lancaster News
  • National News
  • Podcast
  • About Us
  • Future of Christendom

Copyright © 2022 The Lancaster Patriot