Jehovah’s Witness’ suit says she lost state job over refusal to take loyalty oath – By Pamela Manson (UPI) / Nov 23 2020
Nov. 23 (UPI) — A Jehovah’s Witness is alleging her religious freedom rights were violated when a California agency withdrew a job offer because she declined to sign a loyalty oath promising to defend the state and U.S. constitutions.
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, Brianna Bolden-Hardge says her sincere religious beliefs mandate that her allegiance is to the Kingdom of God and she cannot engage in any sort of violence in support of a human government. The 31-year-old woman had accepted a position with the California State Controller’s Office payroll department
Bolden-Hardge asked for a religious accommodation that would allow her to include an addendum to the oath saying her first duty was to God and that she would not take up arms in support of the state. But that request was rejected, according to her suit.
“The SCO failed to explore any available alternative means of accommodating Bolden-Hardge, insisting instead on the loyalty oath without exception, notation or addendum,” the suit alleges. “By extending the job offer to Bolden-Hardge, the SCO had deemed her qualified. It rescinded her job offer only after — and because — she asked for a religious accommodation.”
