Religious Requests at Work Poised for Conservative High Court

A conservative U.S. Supreme Court could soon take up cases that determine when employers can deny requests from religious workers, such as prayer breaks for Muslims, schedules built around the Sabbath, and dress code exceptions for facial hair or head scarves.

The justices are poised to decide whether to hear arguments over a standard that allows employers to reject religious accommodations if they pose an “undue hardship” on their business. Religious groups say the current rule is overly broad and limits workers’ rights, while employer groups prefer it because it gives them flexibility to protect their bottom line and not ...