Trans World Airlines (TWA), an airline, operated a large maintenance and overhaul base for its airplanes in Kansas City, Missouri. Because of its essential role, the stores department at the base operated around the clock, 365 days per year. The employees at the base were represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (Union). TWA and Union entered into a collective bargaining agreement that included a seniority system for the assignment of jobs and shifts.
TWA hired Larry Hardison to work as a clerk in the stores department. Soon after beginning work, Hardison joined the Worldwide Church of God, which does not allow its members to work from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday and on certain religious holidays. Hardison, who had the second lowest seniority within the stores department, did not have enough seniority to observe his Sabbath regularly. When Hardison asked for special consideration, TWA offered to allow him to take his Sabbath off if he could switch shifts with another employee union member. None of the other employees would do so. TWA refused Hardison’s request for a four day workweek because it would have had to hire and train a part time worker to work on Saturdays or incur the cost of paying overtime to an existing full time worker on Saturdays. Hardison sued TWA for religious discrimination, in violation of Title VII. Do TWA’s actions violate Title VII? Who wins? Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, 432 U. S. 63, 97 S. Ct. 2264, 1977 U. S. Lexis 115 (Supreme Court of the United States)