Claybaugh v. Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Co.

OPINION

BURNS, Judge:

Which are to be accommodated— Plaintiff-employee’s religious needs or Defendant-employer’s business needs ? That, broadly stated, is the issue in this case. Narrowly stated, the issue is whether Defendant, Pacific Northwest Bell (Bell) in discharging Plaintiff, John Claybaugh (Claybaugh), complied with the requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1964. 1 The answer to this, in turn, depends upon whether Bell met its obligation “. . . to make reasonable accommodations to the religious needs of employees . . . where such accommodations can be made without…