Steve Gaskins, Roland Smith, Mike Manfredi, Kevin Elwell and Adam Jeantet v. McLean Bible Church

**Church Employment Dispute Reaches Appeals Court** Five employees—Steve Gaskins, Roland Smith, Mike Manfredi, Kevin Elwell, and Adam Jeantet—brought an employment law case against McLean Bible Church. The specific details of their workplace dispute are not available from the court records, but the case involved multiple workers filing claims against their religious employer. The case was appealed to a Virginia court in June 2023, meaning a lower court had already made an initial decision that one side disagreed with. Unfortunately, the final outcome of this appeal is not yet known from available court documents, and no damages have been reported. **What This Means for Workers:** This case highlights that employees of religious organizations can still pursue employment law claims against their employers. While churches and religious institutions have certain legal protections and exemptions, they are not completely immune from employment laws. Workers at religious organizations should know they may have rights regarding workplace issues, though religious employers do have some unique legal defenses. The fact that multiple employees joined together in this case also shows the potential strength of collective action when workers face similar workplace problems.