CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) - Attorneys general from 17 states, including West Virginia, are urging the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to take up Groff vs. DeJoy-a case regarding religious accommodation in the workplace.

West Virginia urges Supreme Court to protect Holy Sunday
West Virginia urges Supreme Court to protect Holy Sunday
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West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced on Wednesday the coalition sent an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Groff.

Gerald Groff is an evangelical Christian who observes Sunday Sabbath, and he was a mail carrier with the United States Postal Service in Pennsylvania. According to a release from Morrisey, after changes to the United States Postal Service (USPS) which required working on Sundays, Goff requested a blanket exemption from Sunday shifts. The USPS refused, and Goff resigned in 2019 and then sued for discrimination.

Groff resigned in 2019 after USPS refused to grant him a blanket exemption from Sunday shifts. He then sued, alleging the Postal Service subjected him to discrimination for refusing to accommodate his religious beliefs and practices under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

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A federal appeals court ruled against Groff in May, saying that granting him an exemption would burden other postal workers. The case was then appealed to the Supreme Court.

"It's a fundamental right of every citizen to freely exercise their religious freedom," Attorney General Morrisey said. "Many spend most of their time at work and people should not be expected to choose between their jobs and their faith. That's absurd. No one should be forced to sacrifice their dedication to their religion in order to keep a job."