In a recent opinion in Suarez v. State of Washington, the Washington Supreme Court established a heightened “undue hardship” standard for employers denying an employee’s request for religious accommodation.
In order to comply with the Washington Law Against Discrimination, an employer must now show that granting a religious accommodation request would be a “substantial burden” on the employer’s business. The case is impactful to health care employers because of their need to ensure staffing around the clock.
WSHA, the American Medical Association, and Washington State Medical Association jointly filed an amicus brief in the case. (Zosia Stanley)
