Reference no: EM131729246

Maria, a devout Catholic, worked for Dacy’s Department Stores (Dacy’s), in Riverside, CA. Dacy’s considered Maria a productive employee because her sales exceeded $275,000 a year. The store gave its managers the discretion to grant unpaid leave to employees but prohibited vacations or leave during the holiday season (October through December), when over 50% of its annual sales occurred. In late September Maria deeply felt that she had a “calling” to immediately go on a “pilgrimage” to a shrine in the mountains of Macedonia, where numerous people reported to having had visions of the Holy Virgin, and promptly bought a nonrefundable ticket for departure on October 20th. The Catholic Church had not designated the site as a church approved pilgrimage site, the visions were not expected to be stronger in October, and tours were available throughout the year. The store managers denied Maria’s request for leave, but she left anyway since she felt directed to go immediately. Dacy’s terminated her employment. For a year, Maria searched for a new job and did not attain the level of her Dacy’s salary for four years. She filed a suit in a federal district court against Dacy’s, alleging religious discrimination in violation of Title VII. Can Maria establish a prima facie case of religious discrimination? Does Dacy's have a defense? Explain.