Gerald Groff received the Frederick W. Anton, III Patriot of the Year Award during the Liberty Dinner at the 2024 Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, on April 5.
Mr. Groff was an evangelical Christian postal worker in Pennsylvania who quit the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and then sued for religious discrimination after the agency refused to accommodate his wish to not work on the Sunday Sabbath.
The Supreme Court granted a victory to Mr. Groff in a June 29, 2023, ruling. In a unanimous decision, the justices made clear that workers who ask for accommodations, such as taking the Sabbath off, should have their requests honored unless employers show that doing so would result in “substantial increased costs” to the business.
Supporters say the decision means more employers will be required by law to respect the religious beliefs of their employees by granting them workplace accommodations.