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A religious freedom lawsuit in Washington that seeks to allow faith-based organizations to hire only individuals who share their beliefs advanced a step further June 2 as attorneys presented their arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
CatholicVote previously reported that Washington’s Law Against Discrimination bans religious organizations from refusing to hire individuals who lead lifestyles that are in direct conflict with their religious beliefs, prompting Christian nonprofit Yakima Union Gospel Mission to sue in 2023.
Yakima Union Gospel Mission provides Christian ministry through homeless shelters, recovery programs and health and meal services, according to its website. Its website also provides reasoning for its Christian-based hiring practices, stating that that “Because Yakima Union Gospel Mission seeks to collectively share its religious ideals, it can only hire employees (who are its hands and feet and its messengers) who agree with, adhere to, and live out the Mission’s religious beliefs and practices.”
The group had obtained a preliminary injunction from a district court in November 2024, which allowed it to continue only hiring Christians as usual until the case is concluded.
Yakima Union Gospel Mission is represented by Christian legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
“Religious organizations shouldn’t be punished for exercising their constitutionally protected freedom to hire employees who are aligned with and live out their shared religious beliefs,” stated ADF Senior Counsel Jeremiah Galus in a June 2 news release.
He continued, “Yakima Union Gospel Mission exists to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ … [through its ministries] … But it faces substantial penalties under Washington state law for simply engaging in its freedom to hire fellow believers who share the mission’s calling. We are urging the 9th Circuit to protect the ministry’s constitutional rights.”
