September 15, 1999

NEW LAWSUIT HIGHLIGHTS LACK OF PROTECTION FOR
EMPLOYEES' RELIGIOUS NEEDS ON THE JOB

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, through
its Institute for Public Affairs, pointed to a newly filed lawsuit as
the latest instance highlighting the lack of protection for the
religious needs of Americans in the workplace.

A lawsuit was filed in federal court last week on behalf of Mr. Edward
Pipkin against D.M. Bowman, Inc., a Maryland trucking company.  Pipkin
is a Mennonite Christian truck driver who informed his employer at his
job interview and afterward that his religious beliefs would prevent him
from working on Sundays.  Despite initial assurances from his employer
that his beliefs would be accommodated, Mr. Bowman was scheduled to
drive shifts on Sundays.  The Rutherford Institute has undertaken to
represent Mr. Pipkin in his lawsuit against DM Bowman.

Nathan Diament, director of the Union's Institute for Public Affairs,
issued the following statement in connection with the lawsuit:

Once again, we are seeing the fact that religious Americans are to be
faced with choices between their faith and their livelihood.  Current
law does not sufficiently protect the religious needs of people on the
job.  The Orthodox Union is working with concerned members of congress
to address this affront to religious freedom and to ensure that
religious Americans are no longer faced with this un-American choice.
The Workplace Religious Freedom Act will be introduced in the U.S.
Senate this month by a bipartisan group of co-sponsors, led by Senators
Sam Brownback (R-KS) and John Kerry (D-MA).  Congress must act to put a
stop to the kind of offensive behavior perpetrated against working class
Americans of faith such as Edward Pipkin, and must act now.

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Comments?

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