Woman Fired for eating pork

Local 6 via HundredPercenter.com ^ | August 4th, 2004 | Local 6 News

[HundredPercenter]

Unbelievable!!!!

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

[johnfrink]

So if I have a company and I believe it is important to eat pork, can I fire a Muslim employee who refuses?

[mcg1969]

I have to admit I'm torn here. I frankly wish the government would keep its damn nose out of private business more than it does. It ought to be OK for a Catholic-leaning company to, say, refuse to subsidize birth control and/or abortion through the health plan it offers its employees---as long as it makes this policy clear to employees before hiring them. And yet some states would make this illegal.

So what's good for the goose ought to be good for tha gander. If a Muslim company wants to ban pork on the premises, well, so be it.

On the other hand, bacon tastes good, pork chops taste good... :-)

I would say that if the company had a written policy regarding pork, then I'd have to be behind them 100%.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

If this wasn't in Florida, I'd say that this woman has a case for wrongful termination. She simply can't be fired for the reasons given by her employer.

Since she has Federal Law on her side, depending on how the Florida courts react or decide, this could go all the way to the USSC.

[jordan8]

But, but, but, they're providing jobs that lazy Americans won't provide. You should just accept the cultural changes, you bigoted xenophobes, 'cause diversity is our strength.

[TomServo]

Bump...

[steveegg]

So if I have a company and I believe it is important to eat pork, can I fire a Muslim employee who refuses?

It only works one way.

[Slings and Arrows]

At the very least, she received a verbal warning. Their property, their rules.

[HEY4QDEMS]

As bad as I feel for this woman, I still believe that the company is a private business and the government should not dictate company policy.

Private businesses are private property.

[MarkL]

I can understand why she would have been reprimanded for violations, and if she were to continue to violate the policy, then she should be fired. The problem is that there was no written policy, and she was not required to sign a document acknowledging that she was not to bring "unclean" foods onto company premesis.

For instance, if you work at a Jewish synagogue, it would not be unusual to have a similar policy.

The problem with dietary laws is that if you bring something "unclean" in and use utensils, plates, pots, or pans, you wind up "contaminating" those things. Which then "contaminate" any food used with them for others. It's a complicated matter.

My grandfather was a "Mashgiach," or one who supervises kitchens to make sure that they followed the Jewish laws of "Kashruth," the dietary laws. It's complicated, and although it may seem outdated, for those who are religious and observant, it's every bit as important as a baptism or Sacrement.

Mark

[VOA]

The Koran forbids Muslims from eating pork. And according to Kweli, Morales
and every employee at the company is advised of the no pork policy.

If the Koran is the rule of the road with this company, she got off easy!
She should just consider herself lucky that she didn't get dragged to a sports arena,
have a burqa thrown on her and then be forced to kneel while she gets the
coup-de-grace head-shot from an AK-47!

I guess she was lucky to encounter some moderate Muslims.

[pies]

I would think without a written policy on this she would have a case; at least I hope she does.

[Slings and Arrows]

So if I have a company and I believe it is important to eat pork, can I fire a Muslim employee who refuses?

If it's part of their job description, sure. If the job is something other than "Bacon Taste-Tester" you might have a hard time convincing a jury, though.

[isthisnickcool]

Hey! They can't do this! They can't fire her because she did something against their religion.

Wait a sec. It's not really a religion. Now I'm confused.

[hushpad]

Private businesses are private property.


Therefore, they need not hire gays, or the handicapped, or minorities, or women as well, right?

As for me, I'm going to find a mosque, sit down on the public street in front of it and, you guessed it: EAT A HAM SANDWHICH at lunch time.

On Monday it could be a ham sandwhich, on Tuesday a BLT, on Wednesday roast pork butt. But I will do it and I dare any ant-freedom, bigoted, muslim to tell me I can't!

[Bobby777]

think I'll have a bacon-wrapped filet mignon tonight or perhaps a ham sandwich ... perhaps a pepperoni pizza with Canadian Bacon ...

yeah, with diversity like this, who needs enemies? ... oh wait ... hmmmm

[hushpad]

The Jewish people, so far, have not shown religious bigotry. I will respect their wishes when around those of the Jewish faith.

[CaptainJustice]

They had every right to ask her not to eat pork in the lunch room.

It's not like she was fired for eating pork at her house, she brought it in the lunchroom.

If the Muslim loses this battle, God help any Christian and Jewish businesses....