MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) – Global shipping leader the United Parcel Service (UPS) has agreed to pay out $70,000 and significant injunctive relief to settle a case centering on its alleged failure to accommodate the religious obligations of an employee and Jehovah’s Witness devotee, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced this week.

The case was brought by the EEOC, a US government agency charged with enforcing employment discrimination laws. According to the EEOC website, it is illegal in the US to discriminate against job applicants or employees on the basis of: race, color, religion, gender – which extends to pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

The EEOC initially filed its claim against UPS in November 2012, alleging that the postal service had discriminated against employee Christopher Pompey on the basis of his religion.

According to a consent decree filed with the court, “Specifically, EEOC alleges that Defendant failed to reasonably accommodate Pompey’s religious request, as a Jehovah’s Witness, to modify his schedule as a package car loader… so that he could attend an annual religious service and thereafter terminated his employment.”

Pompay began working as a part-time loader at a UPS facility in the state of New Jersey in April 2011, according to the EEOC statement. When he requested a schedule change to accommodate an annual religious service, his supervisor denied the request and terminated his employment shortly thereafter, the statement continues.

The decree notes that the parties have opted to resolve the matter without further litigation. Still, the document notes that it does not constitute “an admission or acknowledgement of any wrongdoing.”

UPS will pay out $70,000 and will engage in various activities aimed at advertising religious accommodation request measures and providing anti-discrimination training.