Want to be a
Soolegal Member
Team SoOLEGAL
30 Apr 2018 8:58pm

U.S. court awards $5.1 million to employees for being forced to participate in religious activity

0
0
5
0

10 workers, who charged that their employer Cost Containment Group Inc, a health-network employer, had forced them to participate in group prayers and other religious activities as part of the “Onionhead” religion since 2007, were awarded $5.1 million by a jury in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn after a three week trial. The case was filed on their behalf by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC argued that employees were forced to follow religious practices of a religion by the name of ”Onionhead." The practice involved employees being told to wear Onionhead buttons, placing Onionhead cards close to their work stations, and only dim lighting in the workplace .None of these had anything to do with work.

The jury found the company guilty of violating federal law by forcing the employees to indulge in religious practices at work and creating an unwelcoming work environment. The jury also penalised the company for firing one employee who refused to follow the diktats.

In addition to the award, the EEOC said it will also seek for the terminated employee the salary that person lost because of wrongful termination, which will be determined by U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto.

The EEOC further said the Onionhead religion was the creation of the company's CEO Aunt, who was behind the workplace religious activities and had a role in employee hiring and firing.



Tagged: EEOC Onionhead Cost Containment Group Inc
Did you find this write-up useful? YES 0 NO 0
Active Members view all

New Members view all