The U.S. Justice Department has taken legal aim at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), filing a lawsuit over accusations of religious discrimination against a former clerk who wanted to freely practice her Ifa faith while at work. The government agency claims that the TDCJ denied the woman, an employee at the Pam Lychner Unit, her right to wear a head covering, a request made in alignment with her religious beliefs.
According to the lawsuit, rather than finding a way to reasonably accommodate her, TDCJ chose to indefinitely suspend her without pay. The agency followed this action by unlawfully questioning the sincerity of her religious beliefs and ultimately firing her — all actions that the Justice Department contends are violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "TDCJ, like any other employer, must reasonably accommodate employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act," U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani stated, as obtained by justice.gov.
The legal battle underscores a wider struggle for religious freedom within the workplace. "Employers cannot require employees to forfeit their religious beliefs or improperly question the sincerity of those beliefs," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke added in the complaint filed against TDCJ.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Karpati and Trial Attorney Vendarryl Jenkins of the Civil Rights Division's Employment Litigation Section are jointly handling the case. More information on the Civil Rights Division's work can be found on their websites.
