Possible Religion-based discrimination


NightSG
 Share

Recommended Posts

Better watch the content of those Sacrament talks, because your employer might check them out.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/04/20/fired-for-preaching-georgia-dumps-doctor-over-church-sermons.html?intcmp=hplnws

Quote

First Liberty said Walsh was hired as a district health director on May 7, 2014. A few days later, DPH officers and other government workers began investigating his religious activities.

“DPH officers and other employees spent hours reviewing these and other of Dr. Walsh’s sermons and other public addresses available online, analyzing and taking notes on his religious beliefs and viewpoints on social, cultural and other matters of public concern as expressed in the sermons and other public addresses,” the lawsuit states.

The behavior of the DPH was so egregious that its own counsel twice warned them on May 15 that “under federal law Dr. Walsh’s religious beliefs could play no role in any employment decision by DPH.

But on May 16, the DPH announced it had rescinded the job offer that Dr. Walsh had already accepted.

 

Edited by NightSG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, NightSG said:

Better watch the content of those Sacrament talks, because your employer might check them out.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/04/20/fired-for-preaching-georgia-dumps-doctor-over-church-sermons.html?intcmp=hplnws

Quote

 on May 16, the DPH announced it had rescinded the job offer that Dr. Walsh had already accepted.

I smell a lawsuit.

Lehi

Edited by LeSellers
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a side note, one of my previous employer's major clients had been on the losing end of a fairly expensive religious discrimination lawsuit.  The slightest hint of truly justified offense regarding religion would get what some of us referred to as "the HR SWAT team" on the move.  

I ended up coming in one day with a pile of JW stuff due to apparently looking the least threatening of the folks at the bus stop.  I dropped it on the table in our contractor area intending to carry it to the big trash can later after checking for coupons.  (I still don't know that much about their beliefs, but now I have confirmed that they don't have half price Sonic coupons in their stuff...can't hurt to check...and yes, I did shake the first BoM handed to me and flip through to check for a discount on Sam's membership or whatever, but all I found in the BoM was the SLC temple night photo pass along card, darn it.  The Church marketing department needs to show some real initiative for a change.)  Apparently someone saw it, because a couple days later I got the HR secret agent interrogation about what would potentially offend "a person of your faith"...all while very carefully not asking what faith that might be or hinting at what they thought it was.  I wish I'd been thinking a little quicker that day, because the entertainment potential would have been through the roof.

Edited by NightSG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, NightSG said:

I did shake the first BoM handed to me and flip through to check for a discount on Sam's membership or whatever, but all I found in the BoM was the SLC temple night photo pass along card, darn it.  The Church marketing department needs to show some real initiative for a change.

Have you written to suggest this marketing improvement?  Who knows, it might work...  Of course, it would probably be things like 20% off at DeseretBook.com.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, zil said:

Have you written to suggest this marketing improvement?  Who knows, it might work...  Of course, it would probably be things like 20% off at DeseretBook.com.

Maybe a free milkshake coupon on the back of the pass along cards so us Southerners can try something besides iced tea on hot days. :)

Half price Postum?

Church-subsidized free refills on hot chocolate so we don't go broke sitting around chatting with the coffee drinkers at the cafe?

Deep discount piano lessons could be a win-win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NightSG said:

Maybe a free milkshake coupon on the back of the pass along cards so us Southerners can try something besides iced tea on hot days. :)

Half price Postum?

Church-subsidized free refills on hot chocolate so we don't go broke sitting around chatting with the coffee drinkers at the cafe?

Deep discount piano lessons could be a win-win.

NightSG

I want to make a little suggestion here, which I hope does not offend your religious sensibilities, if it might, the read no further.  I don't want the HR agents after me, nor the Inquisition, for that matter.

Let me suggest that if you think you might go broke on hot chocolate, then maybe you should be out looking for a job, not sitting around chit chatting.

dc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, David13 said:

Let me suggest that if you think you might go broke on hot chocolate, then maybe you should be out looking for a job, not sitting around chit chatting.

Ever priced hot chocolate in a diner?  Usually $1.45+/cup with no refills while coffee is $1 with free refills.  We used to sit around ant chat for 3-4 hours a night, four nights a week at the diner, going through 10+ cups (not very big ones, but the same size the hot chocolate is served in) each.  

For a coffee drinker, that's still under $5/wk with tax.  Hot chocolate comes out over $60.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Ironhold said:

I would imagine that any lawyer with sense will be in line to take his case given how landmark it will likely be and how obvious a win it is. 

Ironhold

In this current political and socio climate I am going to say it may well NOT be a dead bang winner. 

dc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Back to the original subject, they aren't even listening to their own lawyers, and now they're doubling down on the stupid in retaliation for the discrimination lawsuit he filed: http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2016/october/family-research-council-backs-georgia-pastor-who-refuses-to-hand-over-sermons

Quote

But The Christian Post reports that the department was investigating Walsh for his Christian views on marriage. Walsh refused to hand over his notes and two days later he was fired.

"I couldn't believe they fired me because of things I talked about in my sermons," Walsh said in April. "It was devastating. I have been unable to get a job in public health since then."

Walsh filed the discrimination lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Health. The state of Georgia later filed a Request for Production of Documents and asked for copies of his sermons and all material relating dating back to when he began preaching at the age of 18.

Walsh refused that request as well.

"No government has the right to require a pastor to turn over his sermons," Walsh said in a statement. "I cannot and will not give up my sermons unless I am forced to do so."

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey @prisonchaplain; I'm curious how big a stack it would be if you gathered all your sermon notes, including any books you've made sermon-related margin notes in since age 18.  Just thinking of one Primitive Baptist friend here, I'm not sure his stack would fit in a single pickup load.  Another who's Southern Baptist and somewhat older might be able to overload a mid-sized UHaul.

Edited by NightSG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/20/2016 at 6:06 PM, NightSG said:

As a side note, one of my previous employer's major clients had been on the losing end of a fairly expensive religious discrimination lawsuit.  The slightest hint of truly justified offense regarding religion would get what some of us referred to as "the HR SWAT team" on the move.  

I ended up coming in one day with a pile of JW stuff due to apparently looking the least threatening of the folks at the bus stop.  I dropped it on the table in our contractor area intending to carry it to the big trash can later after checking for coupons.  (I still don't know that much about their beliefs, but now I have confirmed that they don't have half price Sonic coupons in their stuff...can't hurt to check...and yes, I did shake the first BoM handed to me and flip through to check for a discount on Sam's membership or whatever, but all I found in the BoM was the SLC temple night photo pass along card, darn it.  The Church marketing department needs to show some real initiative for a change.)  Apparently someone saw it, because a couple days later I got the HR secret agent interrogation about what would potentially offend "a person of your faith"...all while very carefully not asking what faith that might be or hinting at what they thought it was.  I wish I'd been thinking a little quicker that day, because the entertainment potential would have been through the roof.

I liked your story but to be honest I was surprised that HR seemed to be making an effort to be aware of what might have offended you.  I've experienced the opposite.  I once went to my HR at a previous job after the umpteenth time I heard the Savior's name used as an expletive.  The response I got was basically sympathetic, but no action of any  kind was taken, not even some kind of E-mail memo to advise people to be more aware.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, NightSG said:

Hey @prisonchaplain; I'm curious how big a stack it would be if you gathered all your sermon notes, including any books you've made sermon-related margin notes in since age 18.  Just thinking of one Primitive Baptist friend here, I'm not sure his stack would fit in a single pickup load.  Another who's Southern Baptist and somewhat older might be able to overload a mid-sized UHaul.

I don't even know how to answer this inquiry, my elderly friend.  Perhaps I'm just too young to understand.  Now, if you want to know how many gigs the data I've produced might take up, I might proffer a guess.  :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share