Religious vs disability accommodations

[Razzle]

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.

I agree, it depends on how frequently those items are brought to the counter. There are going to be grey areas when determinimg what's reasonable and what's not, but the example I posed for Cato was designed to find out whether his opinion on his own or any particular example would be the same or different depending on whether the cause were a religion or a disability, and if it would be different, why is that?