Pacific Justice Institute Files Friend of the Court Brief Addressing Religious Accommodation Rights Under Florida Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2026

Pacific Justice Institute Files Friend of the Court Brief Addressing Religious Accommodation Rights Under Florida Law

Case could clarify whether Florida's civil rights law protects employees from religious discrimination in the workplace

MIAMI, Fla. - Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) has filed a friend of the court brief, also known as an amicus curiae brief, in Marin v. Nemours Children's Hospital, a case currently pending before Florida's Sixth District Court of Appeal that presents a significant question regarding religious freedom in the workplace.

The appeal arises from proceedings before the Florida Commission on Human Relations, the state agency charged with enforcing the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992. That statute prohibits religious discrimination in employment but does not expressly address whether employers must reasonably accommodate an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs.

The Sixth District Court of Appeal, an intermediate appellate court one level below the Florida Supreme Court, specifically invited PJI by name to submit an amicus curiae brief addressing whether the Florida Civil Rights Act requires employers to reasonably accommodate an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs.

The amicus curiae brief, authored by Alexander Bumbu, attorney for Pacific Justice Institute urges the court to interpret Florida law consistently with longstanding federal civil rights precedent, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which has long been understood to protect employees from religious discrimination and to require reasonable accommodation of sincerely held religious beliefs.

The underlying dispute involves a Christian employee who was terminated after his employer denied his request for a religious accommodation to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The employee alleges that the denial violated the Florida Civil Rights Act's prohibition against religious discrimination.

"Religious employees should not be forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood," said Alexander Bumbu. "The Florida Civil Rights Act was enacted to protect Floridians from discrimination, and that protection must meaningfully extend to employees who seek to live consistently with their religious convictions."

PJI Founder and President Brad Dacus said the case presents an important opportunity for Florida courts to provide clarity on religious liberty protections under state law.

"This case gives Florida courts the opportunity to reaffirm that religious freedom in the workplace is not an empty promise," Dacus said. "Without clear protection for religious accommodation, employees of faith remain vulnerable to exclusion simply for following their beliefs."

Pacific Justice Institute has been instrumental in defending Americans whose religious beliefs were challenged during the COVID-19 vaccine mandate era, representing healthcare workers, educators, first responders, and other employees nationwide. Through litigation, advocacy, and strategic amicus participation, PJI continues to ensure that individuals are not punished professionally for adhering to their faith.

The Sixth District Court of Appeal's decision is expected to provide important guidance on the interpretation of the Florida Civil Rights Act and may influence how religious accommodation claims are handled throughout the state.

For more information about Pacific Justice Institute, visit www.pacificjustice.org.

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