Employee Says He Was Fired For Being Gay

Channel 4 WSMV Nashville ^ | January 8, 2009 | WSMV

[DestinyEagle]

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- A man said he was fired from his hotel job for his sexual orientation and claims the owner who let him go dared him to sue.

David Hill is looking for a new job after he said he was fired Tuesday from a former Brentwood Holiday Inn, which now goes by the name Artee Hotel.

"They literally said to me because of my orientation and my alternative lifestyle, that I was not a fit for the hotel," said Hill.

Hill said he used to be the human resources director and is shocked at the owner's decision to dismiss him because of his sexual preference.

"The owner (Tarun Surti) said, 'I don't give a damn. They can sue me. I will not have any of the gays in leadership roles in my hotel.' And that's a quote," said Hill.

While the owner was not available to talk to Channel 4, the assistant general manager, Leonard Stoddard, did comment. He said Hill was fired because "he was gay." He said he was also the one who had to tell Hill that he was being removed from his position.

"The owner, Mr. Surti, comes from a culture that is not very tolerant to the gay lifestyle, and therefore he felt it necessary to have him removed from the workforce at the property," said Stoddard.

"(He was fired) strictly because of his sexual orientation?” asked reporter Katina Rankin.

"I do believe that's a very fair assumption," asked Stoddard.

"Did you agree with his decision?" asked Rankin.

"I did not," said Stoddard. "It is in our employee handbook that no one should be discriminated against, harassed verbally, physically or any other means for their sexuality, their sexual orientation, gender, race or anything of that sort."

Hill said he plans on taking legal action and he has already filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor.

The hotel is privately owned and not part of the Holiday Inn chain. As of Thursday evening, the owner of the hotel had not returned Channel 4's calls.

[DestinyEagle]

I have never understood why holding employees accountable for their behavior is such a horrible thing. If someone smokes constantly, or is an alcoholic, or is covered with tattoos, or as a man wears dresses to work - I as an employer have a right to make a judgment on how my business is represented. Would a Christian bookstore owner now be required to hire a flamboyant homosexual because it's PC? This seems like insanity.

[ConservativeMind]

An employer ought to be allowed for hiring those whom are deemed good employees.

Sexual orientation shouldn’t be protected, so firing someone based on that should be perfectly legal.

[Da Coyote]

And therein lies the problem with all this “gay” legislation. Whether or not this person was fired for that reason, he can claim it, and if he has Obama voting judge and jury, he’s screwed.

I eagerly await the time when the 1st state “just says no” to our congress and senate. What’ll our congress-zoo do? Withhold dollars worth about one penny (after a couple of years of Obamaloon rule)?

[ßuddaßudd]

A Gay HR Director? what a shock...

[library user]

ROTFL.

[DestinyEagle]

LOL, I thought the same thing. I wonder what attracts them to the position.

[Chickensoup]

It almost is as shocking as a homeosexual social worker or light in the loafers nurse.

[jaz.357]

[MississippiMan]

I eagerly await the time when the 1st state “just says no” to our congress and senate.

It's WAY past time for EXACTLY that to happen.

MM (in TX)

[job]

THUUUUPPPERSSSS!!!!!!

[ßuddaßudd]

We call ours Twinkle-Toes...

[Sloth]

Sexual orientation is NOT a legally protected factor in the state of Tennessee.

[PistolPaknMama]

Sexual orientation is not a protected class. So what. This guy will end up being the poster boy for all those alphabet soup gay groups.

[familyop]

What about the millions of men who have been fired for not being “gay?”

[JudgemAll]

He calls in “an orientation”? This is the activist chilling generalization crap. Bestiality is also an orientation, and so is self mutilations and other sick insanities. This is not fit at all for a hotel service business.

[GSWarrior]

I was under the impression that being gay was a requirement to get a job at a hotel.

[JudgemAll]

Especialy in the hospitality business...

Imagine a sick freak with the key to every rooms of “evey orientations”...

Thanks but no thanks. I don’t want Jeffrey Dhammer to be my hotel clerk indeed.

[montag813]

"I did not," said Stoddard. "It is in our employee handbook that no one should be discriminated against, harassed verbally, physically or any other means for their sexuality, their sexual orientation, gender, race or anything of that sort."

Pretty stupid to put that in your handbook, eh?`

[Chickensoup]

a “little light in the loafers” and “women who wear comfortable shoes” were two expressions used by my parents when discssing their more adventurous peers.