{"id":2147,"date":"2010-04-22T17:28:38","date_gmt":"2010-04-22T17:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/news\/2010\/04\/court-rejects-unemployment-pay.php"},"modified":"2010-04-22T17:28:38","modified_gmt":"2010-04-22T17:28:38","slug":"court-rejects-unemployment-pay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2010\/04\/court-rejects-unemployment-pay","title":{"rendered":"Court Rejects Unemployment Pay for Jehovah’s Witness"},"content":{"rendered":"

(RNS) A Pennsylvania judge has denied unemployment benefits to a Jehovah’s Witness who quit her job in a jewelry store when her responsibilities conflicted with her religious beliefs against celebrating birthdays.
\nThe Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court’s ruling reversed a decision by the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review to grant benefits to Trista Reichman after she quit working as a part-time salesperson at Calhoun Jewelers in Royersford, Pa., northeast of Philadelphia.
\nIn addition to birthdays, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or most other holidays.
\nThe court determined that Reichman’s decision to quit after being asked to print messages on promotional birthday cards — although she had been willing to sell and wrap jewelry for birthday presents — did not merit compensation.
\nNeither Calhoun Jewelers nor Reichman could not be reached for comment.
\nAccording to the court memorandum, during her two years at the store, Reichman had refused to sing or eat cake when co-workers celebrated birthdays, though she did eat other food brought in for the parties. She also typed up a list of employee birthdays, including her own, at her employer’s request.
\nThree years ago, a Jehovah’s Witness who had refused to sing “Happy Birthday” to customers at a Texas restaurant, where she worked as a waitress, won a $38,750 settlement.
\nBased on the case, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its guidelines on religious discrimination, advising employers to make “appropriate accommodations” to allow Jehovah’s Witnesses to avoid celebrations that conflict with their beliefs.
\n— Nicole Neroulias
\nCopyright 2010 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(RNS) A Pennsylvania judge has denied unemployment benefits to a Jehovah’s Witness who quit her job in a jewelry store when her responsibilities conflicted with her religious beliefs against celebrating birthdays. 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