Arizona court revives lawsuit after finding factual disputes regarding county's accommodation efforts

TUCSON, Ariz. - Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) is celebrating a significant appellate victory in Stone v. Pima County, a case involving the religious rights of a county employee who objected to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement based on his sincerely held religious beliefs.

The case arose after David Stone, a former employee of Pima County, sought a religious accommodation from the county's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Stone maintained that receiving the vaccine would conflict with his religious convictions and requested an accommodation that would allow him to continue working without violating his faith.

A trial court previously granted summary judgment in favor of Pima County, concluding that the county had made a reasonable effort to accommodate Stone's religious beliefs under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on religion and requires employers to reasonably accommodate employees' sincerely held religious beliefs absent undue hardship.

However, the Arizona Court of Appeals reversed that decision, finding that genuine issues of material fact remained regarding whether the county's proposed accommodation was reasonable. The appellate court concluded that those disputed issues should be resolved through further proceedings rather than dismissed as a matter of law.

Notably, the court rejected arguments that would have shifted responsibilities onto the employee beyond what Title VII requires, stating that the county's position would improperly reduce the employer's obligations while imposing burdens on employees that federal law does not contemplate.

The decision sends the case back to the lower court for additional proceedings and preserves Stone's opportunity to present his claims.

Brad Dacus, founder and president of Pacific Justice Institute, praised the ruling:

"Religious freedom does not disappear when someone enters the workplace. Employees should not be forced to choose between their livelihood and their sincerely held religious beliefs. This decision reinforces the principle that employers must take religious accommodation requests seriously and comply with the protections guaranteed under federal law."

Carmen Lyon, an attorney with Pacific Justice Institute who represented Stone, added:

"This decision recognizes that important factual questions remain regarding whether Mr. Stone received the accommodation required by Title VII. The Court of Appeals correctly determined that these issues deserve full consideration rather than dismissal at the summary judgment stage. We look forward to continuing to advocate for our client's religious liberty rights. This outcome is a reminder that God sees what His people endure and remains faithful, just as Psalm 21:11 teaches."

The ruling represents an important development in the growing body of case law addressing religious accommodation requests arising from COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the obligations employers owe to employees under federal civil rights protections.

Pacific Justice Institute continues to defend employees, families, churches, and individuals whose constitutional and statutory rights are threatened by government action or workplace discrimination.

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