Christian Seattle homeless mission turns to Supreme Court after ruling strips away employment discretion
Fox News
While homelessness plagues the city of Seattle, one Christian group that looks to help those in need is fighting for the ability to hire those who share its faith and message.
"Even though Washington’s Title VII analogue expressly excludes non-profit religious organizations from its definition of ‘employer’ and has done so since the law was passed over 50 years ago, the court held the statutory exemption unconstitutional as applied to a nonprofit that seeks to hire coreligionists—effectively rewriting the law," the mission argued in a petition to Supreme Court filed earlier this month. The Washington Supreme Court's ruling had narrowed the applicability of the exception for religious nonprofits to a "ministerial exemption," ruling that this does not apply to attorneys. As a result, the mission would not be legally allowed to discriminate against someone for being in a homosexual relationship (the mission also prohibits employees from having premarital sex or engaging in extramarital affairs). The mission argued that it is important even for attorneys who work for it to adhere to and represent its religious message.More Related News