To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

Christian Organization Wins Legal Battle, Will Be Allowed to Hire Christians

Steve Warren : Nov 29, 2022  CBN News

"The First Amendment protects Wyoming Rescue Mission's freedom to hire those who share its beliefs without being threatened and investigated by the government. We're pleased to favorably settle this case for the rescue mission so it can continue its critical work of serving some of Casper's most vulnerable citizens and spreading the Gospel." - ADF Legal Counsel Jacob Reed

[CBN News] Just two months after the Wyoming Rescue Mission filed its federal lawsuit against state and federal agencies for threatening to punish the Christian nonprofit for hiring employees who share the ministry's religious beliefs, attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) announced they reached a favorable settlement in the case. (Screengrab image: Wyoming Rescue Mission /via Alliance Defending Freedom)

As part of the settlement, state officials acknowledged that the rescue mission, as a religious organization, is free to hire like-minded employees who share the ministry's religious beliefs and mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through its homeless shelter, clothing voucher service, faith-based recovery programs, and life-rebuilding assistance to Casper residents.

"The First Amendment protects Wyoming Rescue Mission's freedom to hire those who share its beliefs without being threatened and investigated by the government," said ADF Legal Counsel Jacob Reed. "We're pleased to favorably settle this case for the rescue mission so it can continue its critical work of serving some of Casper's most vulnerable citizens and spreading the Gospel."

On behalf of the faith-based organization, ADF attorneys filed the lawsuit, Wyoming Rescue Mission v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in the US District Court for the District of Wyoming.

According to court documents, the mission requires all employees to agree with its religious beliefs. Before being forced to remove it, the mission's "Career Opportunities" webpage explicitly stated that "Employees are expected to commit to the precepts in our Statement of Faith, and to help the Mission fulfill its mission statement, vision statement, and ends statement."

And the Mission's employment application says: "The Mission considers every position one of ministry and a vital and valued part of our team. Therefore, it is essential that all employees of the Mission have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and subscribe to our Statement of Faith and Ministry Principles. Employees must be willing to lead and/or participate in Bible study, prayer, devotions, and sharing the Gospel."

As CBN News reported, in 2020, the mission decided not to hire a self-proclaimed non-Christian for one of its Rescued Treasures Thrift Store associate positions. Included with this job is the responsibility of teaching the mission's Discipleship Recovery Program guests how to spread the gospel and model Jesus Christ.

The lawsuit explains that the mission advised the applicant during the pre-screen interview that it is a Christian ministry and that all employees must agree with the Mission's statement of faith and demonstrate Christian principles in their life and work as a condition of employment. The applicant responded that she did not have any faith.

The non-Christian applicant then filed a discrimination charge against the mission with Wyoming's Department of Workforce Services and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), according to Decision Magazine

State officials conducted a 16-month-long investigation to determine if the mission engaged in discrimination as prohibited by law.

The officials determined the mission likely violated the Wyoming Fair Employment Practices Act of 1965 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for refusing to hire the non-Christian applicant, ignoring the fact that neither of those laws applies to faith-based organizations' religiously based employment decisions.

After ADF attorneys filed suit, the government capitulated and agreed the mission can hire only "those individuals who agree with and live out the mission's religious beliefs and practices."

"Like-minded employees who share the mission's purpose to spread the Gospel and uplift the Casper community by providing free meals, shelter, recovery programs, and job training are essential for the Wyoming Rescue Mission to continue its important work," said ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker, director of the ADF Center for Christian Ministries. "Wyoming officials have rightly recognized that both state and federal laws protect religious organizations' ability to hire those who share their beliefs."

As part of the settlement in Wyoming Rescue Mission v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) agreed to pay the rescue mission's attorneys' fees. In light of the settlement, the court dismissed the EEOC from the case and signed a consent decree settling the case with the state.

A press release from the ADF revealed that in 2021, the mission served 60,862 free meals to the public; provided 41,037 beds for men, women, and children; enrolled 92 Discipleship Recovery Program participants; offered 5,597 case management sessions, and gave 1,208 thrift store vouchers worth $39,649.92 that provided free clothing and essentials to families and guests in need.

John G. Knepper, one of more than 4,600 attorneys in the ADF Attorney Network, served as local counsel for the Wyoming Rescue Mission. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

New Discoveries in Last Supper Room: Inscriptions Hidden in Walls of Biblical Site on Mount Zion

Gov Newsom Joins Trump in Seeking Federal Charges against Illegal in Fatal DUI Crash That Left Teen Couple Dead

Trump Tariff Support Surges among Small Business Owners

Trump Signs Order to Boost Deep-Sea Mining, Seeking to Break China's Critical Minerals Dominance

Tulsi Gabbard Gives the Deep State the Boot

Court Strikes Down Illinois Law Forcing Pro-Life Ministries to Promote Abortion, But Upholds Abortion Referral Mandate

Professor Who Boldly Spoke Out against Trans Mutilation of Children Wins Long Court Battle with University that Fired Him

Minnesota Heads Off 'Mass Casualty Attack' Planned for 'the Next 24 Hours'

'It Just Ignited': Pastor Says Revival Is Breaking Out in His California Church [Video]

Two Minutes of Silence for the Six Million Victims of the Holocaust

President Trump Notches Key Victory against Taxpayers' Dollars Funding Illegals across the Country

Stephen Miller to Hannity: Democrats Have Become the 'Party of Terrorists and Illegal Aliens' [Watch]

Undercover Sting Exposes Secret Network that Hides Kids for Trans Treatments, Strips 'Transphobic' Parents of Custody [WATCH]

Department of Education Spokeswoman: We 'Will Not Tolerate' States Using Gender Ideology to Strip Parental Rights

DOT Secretary Duffy Warns Blue States: Comply with Trump Orders or Lose Transportation Funding

President Trump 'Not Happy' with Russian Strikes on Kyiv: 'Vladimir STOP!'

UK to Send 'Sun-Dimming' Aerosol Injections into the Atmosphere for 'Climate Change'

HUD Secretary Scott Turner Tackling Homelessness With Heart, Hope, and Biblical Values

Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Says Trump Called Him About Arson Attack: 'I Appreciated That The President Called Me'

GLOBALISTS IN TURMOIL: World Economic Forum Opens Probe into Founder after Klaus Schwab Resigns



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



BCN Plus

Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com