North Carolina workers sue company they say fired them for refusing to pray at work

Two former staff of a North Carolina contracting firm who say there have been fired for refusing to participate within the agency’s each day “cult-like” Christian prayer conferences have filed a federal discrimination lawsuit.

John McGaha and Mackenzie Saunders stated in a lawsuit filed Monday that the proprietor of Aurora Professional Companies “created a hostile work atmosphere, based mostly on faith,” and overtly threatened to fireside staff who did not attend the classes.

“You must take part,” the proprietor stated, based on McGaha within the lawsuit. “If you don’t take part, that’s okay, you don’t must work right here. You’re getting paid to be right here.”

Saunders stated within the lawsuit that the prayer conferences “lasted practically an hour throughout which, Defendant’s proprietor, would pray and recite scripture from the Bible.”

“Ms. Saunders describes the habits as ‘ranting,’” the lawsuit states. “Ms. Saunders started to really feel as if the conferences grew to become ‘cult-like’ after the proprietor required everybody to recite the Catholic model of the Lord’s Prayer in unison.”

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Courtroom in Greensboro, North Carolina, the identical day the U.S. Supreme Courtroom dominated {that a} highschool soccer coach in Washington state who knelt and prayed on the sphere after video games was protected by the Structure.

The criticism, which identifies the corporate because the defendant, doesn’t title the proprietor. Public information, LinkedIn and an operator at Aurora Professional Service recognized the proprietor as Oscar D. Lopez, 40. 

Lopez didn’t reply to an electronic mail for remark. And an Aurora Professional Service worker hung up on a reporter who requested to go away a message for him.

The corporate web site doesn’t explicitly say one needs to be a Christian to work there, nevertheless it does say that “the answer can at all times be discovered within the Lord.”

“We can’t present any further info past what’s within the criticism,” stated Mary Kate Littlejohn, the trial lawyer for the U.S. Equal Employment Alternative Fee, or EEOC, who filed the lawsuit.

The employment fee stated in an announcement that Aurora Professional Companies “violated federal legislation when it required staff to take part in spiritual prayer classes as a situation of employment and retaliated in opposition to staff who opposed the illegal observe.”

“Federal legislation protects staff from having to decide on between their sincerely held spiritual beliefs and their jobs,” stated Melinda C. Dugas, regional lawyer for the EEOC’s Charlotte District. “Employers who sponsor prayer conferences within the office have a authorized obligation to accommodate staff whose private spiritual or religious views battle with the corporate’s observe.”

McGaha labored as a building supervisor at Aurora Professional Companies from June 8, 2020, till he was dismissed on Sept. 4, 2020, based on the lawsuit. Saunders labored for the corporate as a customer support consultant from November 2020 till Jan. 21, 2021.

They’re in search of a jury trial, damages and “applicable backpay to cowl misplaced wages and commissions.” They may not be reached for remark Thursday.

Within the criticism, McGaha recognized himself as atheist and Saunders stated she was agnostic. They stated they have been required to participate in “necessary” prayer conferences the place “staff stood in a circle, whereas the proprietor and others learn Bible scripture and Christian devotionals.”

“Prayers have been generally requested and supplied for poor performing staff, who have been recognized by title,” the criticism states.

McGaha stated within the criticism that he “initially attended the prayer conferences, however because the conferences grew extra spiritual in nature and longer in period, they grew to become much less tolerable.”

“On one event, the proprietor requested Mr. McGaha to steer the Christian prayer,” the criticism states.

McGaha stated he declined and later, privately, requested the proprietor to be excused “from attending parts of the each day prayer conferences that pertained to faith as a result of it conflicted together with his private spiritual beliefs.”

The request, the criticism states, was denied, and McGaha stated the proprietor informed him it could be in his “finest curiosity” to attend the prayer conferences.

McGaha stated within the criticism that the proprietor later lower his pay by half when he continued objecting.

Saunders stated within the criticism that she was fired after she refused to attend the prayer conferences.

“The proprietor informed Ms. Saunders she was being discharged as a result of she was ‘not a superb match’ for the corporate,” the criticism states.