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The Employer Handbook Blog
Drawing the Line on Religious Social Media Posts: EEOC Lawsuit Sends a Warning to Employers
The EEOC has sued a Wisconsin employer for allegedly firing a worker over Bible verses he posted on his personal social media. The case puts a spotlight on a tricky question for employers: When does off-duty religious expression become a workplace problem?
TL;DR: According to the EEOC, a business violated Title VII by firing an employee for posting Bible verses on his personal account. The agency says the employee never mentioned the company, had no prior discipline, and had been praised for his performance. The case raises important questions about how employers can—and can’t—respond to religious expression outside the workplace.
📄 Read the EEOC’s press release here.
From Promotion to Termination—According to the EEOC
The EEOC alleges the employee began working in early 2022 as a seasonal worker and was promoted to a supervisory role later that year. He reportedly received bonuses and commendations for customer service.
According to the complaint, the employee regularly posted Bible verses and religious messages on his personal social media account. The EEOC claims:
- The posts didn’t mention the employer.
- They weren’t directed at coworkers or customers.
- No one complained.
Although not mentioned in the EEOC press release, in its complaint, the agency further alleges that in June 2023, a manager told the employee to stop posting content perceived as discriminatory toward gay people. When the employee asked if he could still post scripture, he was allegedly told that it was okay.
Three days later, after posting another Bible verse, he was fired.
What the EEOC Alleges
The EEOC contends that the termination violated Title VII’s prohibition on religious discrimination. Specifically, the agency alleges:
- The employee’s posts were religious in nature.
- He had no history of discipline or performance issues.
- There was no evidence the posts disrupted the workplace.
- The termination was based on religion and was therefore unlawful.
The agency is seeking back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and a permanent injunction.
What Employers Need to Know
Regardless of how this case is resolved, it offers a useful lens on how employers should evaluate religious expression and online conduct.
✅ Religious expression is protected—even off the clock.
Title VII prohibits adverse action against employees for sincerely held religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are expressed outside of work on personal time and platforms.
✅ Not all offensive posts create legal risk.
EEOC guidance makes clear that merely finding a coworker’s personal post offensive—without a connection to the workplace—does not create a hostile work environment. If the post doesn’t reference the employer, target coworkers, or affect working conditions, it typically won’t trigger liability. Being offended is not, by itself, a Title VII violation.
✅ But some posts can affect the workplace.
The legal risk increases when an off-duty post begins to impact the actual work environment—such as when coworkers feel targeted, bring concerns to HR, or workplace tension arises. The post must influence the terms and conditions of employment, not just provoke personal disagreement.
✅ Context—and consequences—matter.
Religious content that expresses personal belief is generally protected. But when that expression is perceived as targeting others in the workplace—especially based on protected characteristics like sexual orientation—employers may have to respond. The key is whether the post materially alters the working environment.
✅ Proselytizing is different—and platform matters.
Religious expression may lose protection if it becomes coercive, unwelcome, or disruptive—particularly if it’s communicated through company systems like email, Slack, Teams, or the company intranet. Personal posts, by contrast, receive broader legal protection unless they clearly affect workplace dynamics.
Final Thought
You don’t have to agree with your employees’ beliefs. But if you discipline them for religious expression—especially when it happens off the clock and off your platforms—you’d better be ready to show that it disrupted your workplace. Because if you can’t, the EEOC might think the problem isn’t the post—it’s your policy.