Sherbert v. Verner (1963)

Sherbert v. Verner, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1963, addressed the question whether a Seventh-day Adventist was eligible for unemployment benefits after being discharged from her job [Page 1962]for refusing to work on Saturdays, the Sabbath day for her faith.

Adell Sherbert was a textile-mill employee in South Carolina who became a Seventh-day Adventist in 1957. At that time, the mill operated on a 5-day workweek; however, it changed to a 6-day week in 1959. When Sherbert refused to work on Saturdays, she was discharged. She attempted to find work at other mills as well as in other employment sectors but was unable to secure a new position because of her restricted schedule. She filed a claim for unemployment compensation under the South Carolina ...