A federal judge has just denied summary judgment to a company which allegedly fired 80 Somali Muslim employees for requesting time for a prayer break.
The EEOC had brought suit on their behalf alleging that during Ramadan in 2008, the employees had engaged in a work stoppage because they were not permitted to change the time of their dinner shift break so that they could engage in the required prayer. The company fired them for complaining that they were denied a reasonable accommodation.
The case can now go to trial.
See Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v JBS USA, case number 8:10-cv-00318, U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.