Attorney General Gentner Drummond has joined forces with 19 other state attorneys general to support religious organizations in their employment practices. This collective action involves the filing of an amicus brief with the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, advocating for Union Gospel Mission's right to hire employees aligned with its religious mission.
The legal case at hand originates from Washington state, where Union Gospel Mission seeks affirmation of its authority to employ individuals who share its core beliefs. The brief supports a prior district court decision that endorsed the mission's ability to make hiring decisions based on religious principles.
"Religious organizations must have the freedom to make hiring decisions that preserve their core mission and beliefs," stated Drummond. "This case is about protecting the fundamental right of faith-based organizations to maintain their spiritual integrity through their workforce choices."
The brief emphasizes that religious organizations should have the liberty to employ individuals who reflect their beliefs across all roles within the organization, not just those directly tied to religious activities.
"The Mission’s hiring policy is a quintessential matter of church government. Allowing Washington’s antidiscrimination law to regulate those decisions ‘would impermissibly inject … [the] government into [decisions on] religious doctrine and governance,’” expressed the attorneys general in their statement.
Joining Drummond in this initiative are attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.