Religious vs disability accommodations

[Jenny A]

The reasonable accommodation standard is to allow people with disabilities to perform the prescribed roles and responsibilities. In the case of the Muslim cashier, no such consideration is warranted. Handling pork and alcohol products is part of the basic job requirements. Refusing to execute basic duties no matter the supposed justification is grounds for disqualification, not accommodation. It's the religious practitioner's responsibility to seek employment that doesn't violate his/her cherished beliefs.

So if a worker had an allergy or phobia and couldn't handle two particular items for that reason, would it still be unreasonable for him to be allowed to direct customers to other staff or to self-checkout, because it should be a 'basic requirement' that they physically check out every item?

That's where the word reasonable would come in.  At a grocery store, pork makes up a substantial portion of the inventory.  There are usually whole freezer cases devoted to it.  Most people's weekly shopping includes at least one pork item.  So no, I don't think that requiring help with at least one item per major shopper would be reasonable accommodation.  On the other hand, if the store were a mini market where pork jerky was occasionally sold, then maybe it would be reasonable to send one in 100 or so customers to another checkout because they are purchasing pork jerky.