Reed v. Mineta, Secretary of the Dept. of Transportation

Air traffic controller Don Reed celebrates the Sabbath on Saturdays. In 1995, after almost ten years working for the Federal Aviation Administration, he was fired after a new supervisor refused to adjust Mr. Reed’s schedule to accommodate his religious practice. An administrative law judge ruled that the government was wrong to fire Mr. Reed, but that decision was reversed by the Merit Systems Protection Board in 1997. Reed then filed suit in federal district court, asserting that he was fired in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In July 2001, a jury found in Reed’s favor on his claims of intentional religious discrimination and failure to reasonably accommodate his religious practice, and the court ordered compensation of over $900,000. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the jury's verdict in 2004.