Posted on 08/04/2004 9:15:03 AM PDT by HundredPercenter
Woman Fired For Eating 'Unclean' Meat Attorney: 'It's A Classic Case Of Religious Discrimination'
POSTED: 5:46 am EDT August 4, 2004 UPDATED: 10:51 am EDT August 4, 2004
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Central Florida woman was fired from her job after eating "unclean" meat and violating a reported company policy that pork and pork products are not permissible on company premises, according to Local 6 News.
Lina Morales was hired as an administrative assistant at Rising Star -- a Central Florida telecommunications company with strong Muslim ties, Local 6 News reported.
However, 10 months after being hired by Rising Star, religious differences led to her termination.
Morales, who is Catholic, was warned about eating pizza with meat the Muslim faith considered "unclean.," Local 6 News reported. She was then fire for eating a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, according to the report.
"Are you telling me they fired you because you had something with ham on it?" Local 6 News reporter Mike Holfeld asked.
"Yes," Morales said.
Woman Fired After Eating Pork
Holfeld asked, "A pizza and a BLT sandwich?"
" Yes," Morales said.
Local 6 News obtained the termination letter that states she was fired for refusing to comply with company policy that pork and pork products are not permissible on company premises.
However, by the company's own admission to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, that policy is not written, Local 6 News reported.
"Did you ever sign to or agree to anything that said I will not eat pork?" Holfeld asked Morales.
"Never," Morales said. "When I got hired there, they said we don't care what religion you are."
Attorney Travis Hollifield is representing Morales in a lawsuit against the company.
"It's just un-American," Hollifield said. "It's not in compliance with the laws of this country."
Local 6 News reported that the case has precedent-setting issues because it addresses employee rights and religion in the workplace.
"It's a classic case of religious discrimination," Hollifield said. "They have not articulated a single reason other than religious reason behind the policy."
The CEO of Rising Star, Kujaatele Kweli, told Local 6 News that they have tried to create an office that accommodates anybody's religion -- not just Islam.
"Clearly you're accommodating," Holfeld said.
"Yes." Kweli replied.
"And you have an ecumenical philosophy," Holfeld said.
" Yes," Kweli replied.
"(Then) shouldn't you be able to accommodate all faiths in the same lunch room?" Holfeld asked.
"We do, we can," Kweli said.
"But you've dismissed one of your employees for eating pork in the lunch room," Holfeld said.
"Yes, pork is considered unclean," Kweli said.
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.
"Our point of view is to respect the laws of the land and the laws of the land as I understand it is to the accommodate people's right to practice their religions if you can," Kweli said.
"Even if it impacts other people?" Holfeld asked.
"Well, it always impacts other people," Kweli replied.
Orlando attorney Mark Nejame is close to the Muslim community, Local 6 News reported. He said Kweli's intentions may cross constitutional parameters, according to the report.
"They're making it seem that if you don't follow a certain set of religious practices and beliefs then you're going to be terminated and that's wrong," Nejame said. "If this case prevails, what it will mean -- the implications of this case -- is it will eliminate accommodations of religion."
Both sides are steadfast in their belief that they are right. Morales is taking the company to court charging discrimination, Local 6 News reported.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
But then again, maybe my reheated pot roast smelled bad to them. We will probably all loose the microwave. Why is it that the answer to the multicultural issues and diversity is generally an abolition of the American culture?
Yeshua didn't die so Chistians can eat pork sandwiches at church potlucks but if you dare tell a Chritian that the Bible doesn't justify pork consumption, they react w/ just as much venom as if you tried to take Charlton Heston's musked out of his "cold dead hands".
I have heard stories of Messianic Jews forced to give up their culture and kashrut to prove to their gentile brethren that they were loyal to Yeshua.
Mark Gabriel, a former Muslim scholar who converted to Christianity, was applauded loudly at a YWAM traning center when he ate pork for the first time as though he was a 100% Christian until he ate pork.
Leviticus 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
Isaiah 66:15-17: For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
Sad and disgusting at the same time.
If someone were to force me to join a church (and that'll be a cold day in Hell, so to speak), I'd become an Episcopalian, I guess -- I'd only be required to give up something I don't like anyway for Lent.
If there wasn't this thing called "political correctness", then yes, you could. PC does exist however, and the person you fired, you would soon be calling "boss".
Great. You mean the same Supreme Court with Ruth Bader Ginsburg on it?
If this hits the Supreme Court, I would consider buying "put" options on pork bellies, big time, cuz' there won't be one piece of bacon left in America if this hits the Supremes.
I've got a really big freezer if anybody wants to store their stash along with mine....rent free.
Ac 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Ga 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Amen and pass the pork.....please.
Excuse me but does anyone else see a disconnect here? What does what not caring what religion she is have to do with her bringing on to company property an item she had been previously asked not to bring on to company property?
The company is in the right. When you have been told not to do something once and proceed to do it again you are asking to get fired.
I'm in Orlando. I need an extra administrative aide. I'll be calling her in the AM to send a resume!
no flame ... the New Testament addresses this specifically ... you might be surprised to read this ...
Colossians 2:16 KJV
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon,
or of the Sabbath days:
http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?search=judge+drink&SearchType=AND&version=KJV&restrict=Epistles&StartRestrict=&EndRestrict=&rpp=25&language=english&searchpage=0&x=12&y=7
good for you ...
see my response a few posts prior to this one ...
I read that as one sentence, not two.
OSHA,EEOC,EPA,DEC,N.O.W.,A.A.R.P.,NAACP and every other alphabet organization might argue the point.
I work in a family business - it just aint so bub - the government mandated rules are quite clear
she stands to own the place...........at which point I'd promptly put pork rinds in the vending machine
Then those organizations (most of which have nothing to do with this issue) are wrong.
Her employers told her not to bring pork on the premises.
She did so after being so ordered.
She was fired.
If I was on jury trying this case, that would be the end of the story. Too bad for her.
Wouldn't that mean that Kosher food would be forbidden in a Rising Star facility? Which would mean that an orthodox Jew employee could never dine on the premises? Or that a person who brought in a beef hot dog from Hebrew National would be fired?
which sucks for her since youd be ignoring case law by acting so capriciously (no pimp slap meant)
The owner has made what we presume was a publicly offered position of employment conditional upon their religious tenets.
________________________________
from the EEOC website
Religious Discrimination Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of l964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring, firing, and other terms and conditions of employment. Title VII covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government.
Under Title VII:
Employers may not treat employees or applicants less - or more - favorably because of their religious beliefs or practices. For example, an employer may not refuse to hire individuals of a certain religion, may not impose stricter promotion requirements for persons of a certain religion, and may not impose more or different work requirements on an employee because of that employee's religious beliefs or practices.
Employees cannot be forced to participate -- or not participate -- in a religious activity as a condition of employment.
Employers must reasonably accommodate employees' sincerely held religious beliefs or practices unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer. A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow the employee to practice his religion. Flexible scheduling, voluntary substitutions or swaps, job reassignments and lateral transfers and modifying workplace practices, policies and/or procedures are examples of how an employer might accommodate an employee's religious beliefs.
An employer is not required to accommodate an employee's religious beliefs and practices if doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employers' legitimate business interests. An employer can show undue hardship if accommodating an employee's religious practices requires more than ordinary administrative costs, diminishes efficiency in other jobs, infringes on other employees' job rights or benefits, impairs workplace safety, causes co-workers to carry the accommodated employee's share of potentially hazardous or burdensome work, or if the proposed accommodation conflicts with another law or regulation.
Employers must permit employees to engage in religious expression if employees are permitted to engage in other personal expression at work, unless the religious expression would impose an unde hardship on the employer. Therefore, an employer may not place more restrictions on religious expression than on other forms of expression that have a comparable effect on workplace efficiency.
Employers must take steps to prevent religious harassment of their employees. An employer can reduce the chance that employees will engage unlawful religious harassment by implementing an anti-harassment policy and having an effective procedure for reporting, investigating and correcting harassing conduct.
It is also unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on religion or for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation under Title VII.
now it may be his place - but its certainly not his rules
Peter's vision had NOTHING to do with food and everything to do with G-d calling gentiles to Himself.
Acts 10:34-43: Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Not a word in there about nullifying Torah.
Matthew 5:17-20
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
There are a lot of anti-nomian pastors who are going to find themselves making it to heaven as the "least in the kingdom" because they teach their congregations that it is ok to violate G-d's written Torah and wear it as a badge of honor.
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