NYPD Officer Sues Over Sabbath Observance Discrimination

A Brooklyn police officer and Seventh-day Adventist, Johanne Saint-Jean, has filed a lawsuit against the NYPD, alleging she was discriminated against for observing the Sabbath. According to court documents, Saint-Jean joined the department in 2016 with the understanding she could adhere to her faith, which requires her to rest on Saturdays. However, she claims she faced hostility from superiors who questioned her religious practices and mocked her beliefs.

Saint-Jean alleges that her supervisors repeatedly criticized her faith, with one telling her, “You’re not Jewish. Why are you practicing like you’re Jewish?” She also claims a supervisor stated her religion was “not for black people,” leading to her being assigned to work on Saturdays. As a result, she had to use accrued time off for her Sabbath and missed out on overtime and opportunities for specialized units.

Her difficulties escalated in 2020 when Sgt. Robbin Abrams became her supervisor. He allegedly told her, “No cop wants to work with you because you are a scammer.” That same year, Saint-Jean claims her bosses accused her of being absent without leave on a Saturday and sent Nassau County police officers to her Long Island home to “harass” her. The suit states that the officers informed her she was AWOL, despite her being off on that day.

Saint-Jean has filed multiple formal complaints, but she says they only led to further bullying. She has three children, ages 6, 14, and 16, and hopes the lawsuit will bring about change within the NYPD. “I’m asking for a change so nobody else who comes on has to deal with this, especially as a black woman,” she said. “Some days I get to work and I sit in my car and I think, ‘Should I go in? I can’t do it.’”

The case highlights the challenges faced by individuals who must balance their religious observances with professional obligations, raising questions about workplace accommodation and religious freedom.

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