Question

Please briefly explain Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison 432 US 63 (1977) in your own words

Answer 1

Case explains the issue of firing the employee on the basis of employee’s religion which is prohibited under title VII of Civil rights act of 1964. The act states that employer’s should make some genuine accommodations for its employee’s religious practices. Hardison was the employee of Trans world airlines in TWA store department of kansas city where 24 hours per day are needed with full staff all the time. The employees are given the duty basis on their seniority system and flexibility will be given to most senior employee to choose their duty timings and days. Hardsion while doing the job, joined worldwide church of God, where he used to go every Friday and Saturday during sunset time and he was unable to do the duty at that particular time. However, TWA refused Hardsion request for not to schedule his work during his prayer time. Hardsion sued the TWA for violating the civil rights but the district court found in favour of TWA. Case went to Supreme Court that TWA has fail to accommodate Hardison religious practice and TWA petitioned the US Supreme Court for certiorari.