Marriott Companies Settle EEOC Claim Over Sabbath Accommodation

Dive Brief:

• Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. and Marriott Ownership Resorts will pay $175,000 to settle claims from the U.S. Equal Employment Prospect Commission (EEOC) that they discriminated against an employee by revoking her religious accommodation, the agency announced Thursday. Learn more here.
• The former employee was a Seventh-Day Adventist and requested to avoid Saturday shifts to observe her Sabbath. this accommodation was initially granted. However, after a management change, the companies began scheduling her for Saturdays, even after she explained her concerns. This forced her to choose between her job and her religious beliefs, according to the EEOC.
• In addition to the $175,000 payment, the companies will also update their policies and training to prevent future religious discrimination.

Details:

• The EEOC filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada after attempts to reach a pre-litigation settlement failed.
• The EEOC found that Marriott did not demonstrate an undue hardship when it stopped accommodating the employee’s religious practices.
• The settlement requires Marriott to revise it’s religious accommodation policies and provide training to managers and employees on religious discrimination.

Why this matters:

This case highlights the importance of respecting employees’ religious beliefs and providing reasonable accommodations. Employers must be careful not to revoke accommodations without a valid reason and should ensure their policies and training reflect a commitment to religious diversity and inclusion.

Publication Date: 2025/12/12 23:36:08