Orthodox Woman Sues Dallas County for Pulling Job Offer Over Shabbat Observance
— An Orthodox Jewish woman has sued Dallas County for allegedly rescinding a job offer over her Shabbat observance.
Isabel Balderas filed her lawsuit Wednesday in district court, the Dallas Morning News reported, and is seeking $100,000 to $1 million in damages.
Balderas said she told the sheriff’s office that because of her observance, she would need to leave work early Fridays in order to observe the Jewish Sabbath. The lawsuit claims Dallas County discriminated against her based on her religion and violated her civil rights.
According to the suit, Balderas was offered a data management position with the sheriff’s office’s Resource Development Division in July 2013.
After being informed that she had received the job, Balderas said she told the sheriff’s office that she would have to be home before sundown Fridays, meaning she would need to leave work about 30 minutes before the workday ended during the winter.
Her attorney, Robert Lee, told the newspaper that Balderas offered to work extra days in order to receive the accommodation, but the sheriff’s office refused.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department told the newspaper that Balderas did not mention her need for religious accommodation when she interviewed for the position and that her request was incompatible with the job requirements, as the data manager is on call 24/7 and she would be unavailable during emergencies from Friday night to Saturday night.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
