Dynamic Medical Services, Inc., a medical and chiropractic services company is being accused, in a lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of violated federal law by requiring employees to attend Scientology courses. (Case No. 1:13-cv-21666).
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the Dynamic Medical required employees, including Norma Rodriguez, Maykel Ruz, Rommy Sanchez, Yanileydis Capote to spend approximately half their work days in courses that involved Scientology religious practices, such as screaming at ashtrays or staring at a person for 8 hours without moving. The company also instructed employees to attend courses at the Church of Scientology. Additionally, Dynamic Medical required Romney Sanchez to undergo an audit by connecting herself to an E-meter, a device which Scientologists believe to be a religious artifact, and undergo purification treatments at the Church of Scientology. The EEOC claims that employees repeatedly asked not to attend the courses but were told it was a requirement of their employment. In the cases of Norma Rodriguez and Romney Sanchez, when they refused to participate in Scientology religious practices and or did not conform to Scientology religious beliefs, they were terminated.
Requiring employees to conform to religious practices and beliefs of their employer, creating a hostile work environment, and failing to reasonably accommodate the religious beliefs of an employee are all in violation Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The lawsuit against Dynamic Medical Services, Inc., seeks back pay for Rodriguez and Sanchez, compensatory and punitive damages for all named claimants and a class of individuals subjected to a hostile work environment and disparate treatment, and injunctive relief ordering the company to stop requiring employee participation in courses involving religious practices, among other types of injunctive relief.
Malcolm Miller of the EEOC, said, “When an employer makes an employment decision based on employees’ failure to adopt the employer’s religious beliefs, it violates federal law.
If you have suffered religious discrimination or wrongful termination, please give California Employment Attorney, Todd M. Friedman a call at 877-449-8898 for a free consultation.
