Court says sharing religion not an employee's right

By Claire Cooper -- Bee Legal Affairs Writer
Published 7:46 pm PDT Monday, May 1, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO - A county social services department cannot be required to accommodate the belief of an evangelical Christian employee that he must share his faith with clients and others on the job, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

On balance, said the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the constitutional duty of the Tehama County agency to avoid entangling itself in religion outweighs the constitutional right of Daniel M. Berry to promote his religious views.

The decision upheld one by U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton in Sacramento.