Case Could Impact Whether Faith-Based Employers Can Require Staff To Follow Doctrinal Beliefs
RICHMOND, Va. — An important legal case involving religious employment policies is set to be argued before a federal appeals court Tuesday, with important implications for religious freedom and the rights of faith-based institutions in the workplace.
ReadMore
Oral arguments in Zinski v. Liberty University will be heard on March 17 at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond.
The case stems from the termination of a Liberty University employee who informed the school in 2023 that he intended to transition genders after completing his initial probationary employment period. The university, as with nearly every other religious organization, requires employees to affirm and follow its doctrinal statement, and dismissed the employee for violating its policies regarding the biblical understanding of gender.
Liberty University maintains that its decision was based on religious doctrine and the employee’s conduct being inconsistent with the school’s statement of faith, which teaches that humans are created male or female.
The former employee argues the dismissal amounts to unlawful sex discrimination under federal law.
At the center of the dispute is how employment protections established in the 2020 Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County apply to religious institutions. That ruling determined that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity can fall under federal protections against sex discrimination, but it also noted that future cases would address how those protections intersect with religious liberty.
Supporters of Liberty University argue that the First Amendment, along with federal religious freedom protections, allows faith-based organizations to require employees to adhere to their core religious beliefs.
The case has drawn national attention, with numerous religious institutions and academic groups filing briefs supporting the university’s position, while several states have filed briefs opposing it.
Legal experts say the outcome could have significant implications for religious colleges, churches, and other faith-based employers across the United States.
A ruling from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals is expected later this year.
