Woman Sues for Being Fired for Piercing

http://apnews.myway.com ^ | Apr 20, 7:36 AM (ET) | ap

[RedBloodedAmerican]

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A woman who was fired by Costco in 2001 for refusing to remove her eyebrow ring has accused the company of religious discrimination, saying she is a member of the Church of Body Modification.

Kimberly M. Cloutier said she wears her eyebrow ring as a sign of faith. She has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider hearing the case.

The church, established in 1999, counts about 1,000 members who participate in practices such as piercing and tattooing, according to a December ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld a trial judge's finding in Costco's favor.

Lynn A. Kappelman, a lawyer for Costco, declined to comment. The company has argued that Cloutier's beliefs are political or social instead of religious.

Cloutier's lawyer, Michael O. Shea, filed a petition Monday asking the Supreme Court consider hearing the case.

[spoiler2]

That gruesome picture is of one of the practices that these freaks like to inflict on each other.

That is supposedly a live person hanging from hooks imbedded in the flesh of their back.

Just another form of body mutilation, which shows how you can form a 'church' around any perverse activity.

[BibChr]

I... was happier before I began wondering.

Dan
/c8

[P-Chan Penny]

That is a pic of some... person... hanging from hooks that are in his (her?) back. I saw it on TV once and it just looks horrible. Apparently, it's so painful they achieve a "zen-like" state. I would think it's called unconscious from the pain!!!!

[Normal4me]

"Faith in what?"

Fishing tackle?

[evets]

I thought this was a joke...

... but it's a 'real' church! (/sarc)

[Fierce Allegiance]

[Moral Hazard]

My understanding is that as a private employer Costco can set up pretty much any policy for appearance provided they don't specifically target a religious belief (i.e. allowing necklaces but not crosses on the necklace). Since this policy is about piercings in general, and not targeted to this woman's "religion" I don't see how she can win.

[4thInfVet]

"Church of Body Modification"?

How many women have been honorary members of that one, unknowingly?


More like The Church of MASS STUPIDITY.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I am.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Memo to Kimberly:
You must first spend several years working your case through lower courts before you get the US Supreme Court. Perhaps you'll grow up by then.

[eastforker]

In Texas you do not need a reason to fire someone, you can just fire them and thats it, end of story, but, you have to reclassify the job if you want to replace the fired worker if he was fired for non-cause.

[Conspiracy Guy]

We're having a rivival in my backyard tonight.

[sofaman]

"It's" parents must be so proud.

Is that m/f or undecided? Almost hurled a Persian...

[IWONDR]

"What the heck is that picture on their website of?"

It appears to be someone hanging on hooks from their shoulder blades ... Believe i read recently about kids doing this as some sort of "spiritual" or physical "enlightenment."

[Conspiracy Guy]

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww

[Conspiracy Guy]

They are not a real religion, just a cult.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

She will lose. Costco's actions did not deprive her of her right to modify her body. They did not require her to undo her modification. Only to remove a piece of hardware from the modification.

Now, if she'd been fired for "modifying" her body while at work....

[Conspiracy Guy]

Cardinal Lite!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Can't get the picture to display.

[keysguy]

Uhhhh hey Bevis, we can sue!!

Yeah that rocks, sue em, sue em, sue em Butthead!!