Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

NAACP suit: unlawful for clinic to close on Jewish Sabbath

The Spring Valley, N.Y. chapter of the NAACP “has filed a complaint accusing the Ben Gilman Medical and Dental Clinic of religious discrimination for closing on Saturdays. The complaint, filed Sept. 6 with the state’s Division of Human Rights, alleges that the clinic’s practice of remaining closed Saturdays in observance of operators’ Jewish Sabbath, unlawfully […]

The Spring Valley, N.Y. chapter of the NAACP “has filed a complaint accusing the Ben Gilman Medical and Dental Clinic of religious discrimination for closing on Saturdays. The complaint, filed Sept. 6 with the state’s Division of Human Rights, alleges that the clinic’s practice of remaining closed Saturdays in observance of operators’ Jewish Sabbath, unlawfully imposes their religious beliefs on others.” (Suzan Clarke, “NAACP sues Spring Valley clinic”, White Plains, N.Y. Journal-News, Sept. 15). Eugene Volokh has a thorough discussion (Sept. 25).

7 Comments

  • I might ask what’s preventing other groups from opening medical clinics that are open on Saturdays. But that might open me to a suit from the NAACP.

    Yet another way in which diversity might not be our greatest strength after all.

  • There’s been tension between the black community (and the Hasidic white community) and the growing Hasidic community in Rockland County for a number of years. This regulatory complaint looks like a byproduct of those issues and is probably purely local in origin. In other words, I doubt that it was sanctioned by the national NAACP.

    • By Rufus

  • “In a copy of the complaint provided by the NAACP, Hoffman, Milner and the clinic were said to “invoke their religion” in order to engage in “disparate treatment” of people of different faiths. It also alleges that the respondents failed to accommodate other religious beliefs.”

    This makes no sense. Someone please explain this to me.

    • By Pat W

  • “Someone please explain this to me.”

    We don’t like you because you’re not black. Give us money, you terrible racist person, you. Oh, and change whatever it is we are demanding that you change, too.

    That’s the basic summary of most such actions.

    • By Deoxy

  • Can I sue Chick-fil-a for closing on Sundays?

  • “Can I sue Chick-fil-a for closing on Sundays?”

    On the evidence …

  • There’s a Chick-fil-A in Philadelphia that’s actually open on Sundays. Only one I’ve ever seen do so.

    • By Bill