As part of the Wyoming Rescue Mission v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settlement, the Department and the EEOC agreed to pay the rescue mission’s attorneys’ fees. In addition, the court dismissed EEOC from the case and signed a consent decree settling it with the state.
A lawsuit filed two months ago against government officials threatening to punish the Wyoming Rescue Mission for exclusively hiring like-minded Christian employees has settled.
The Mission sought help from Alliance Defending Freedom after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (Department) launched a 16-month-long investigation to determine whether the non-profit engaged in religious discrimination prohibited by law.
The investigation began after the Mission chose not to hire a “self-proclaimed ‘non-Christian’” for one of their thrift store associate positions, according to the suit. As a result, the applicant filed a religious discrimination charge, and government officials began investigating the Mission.
The faith-based Mission assists Casper residents through a homeless shelter, recovery programs, and a clothing voucher service. The Mission also owns two Rescued Treasures thrift stores that “make clear that they are a ministry of Wyoming Rescue Mission,” the suit states.