Posted on 04/26/2005 7:41:33 AM PDT by WELL-n-ABLE
Bombardier Ordered To Pay Fired Jet Salesman A veteran jet salesman who claimed in a lawsuit filed in August 2003 that he was fired from Bombardier Aerospace in 2002 because he refused to drink and smoke with customers got retribution this week. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ordered Bombardier Aerospace to pay $159,000 to Michael Kolman. Kolman, a Mormon, alleged he was fired after he complained that the v-p of sales had told him that his abstinence would offend customers and that his religion hurt his ability to sell business jets. He was fired eight days after he reported the comments to the company’s human resources department. Kolman, who sought lost wages and punitive damages, was hired by Bombardier in August 2001 after working eight years as an airplane salesman, including five years as an area sales manager at Cessna Aircraft. A seasoned pilot, he holds an ATP and has been an active pilot for more than 15 years. A Bombardier spokesman was unavailable for comment.
Where do I send my resume?
Alright, from this point on I don't want to catch anyone not drinking!
Thanks for the post. That sounds like a decent outcome for the case. Clearly it is possible to "schmooze" clients without drinking and smoking and most Mormons, if they have served a mission, have highly developed interpersonal skills that more than offset any failure to drink and smoke with the client. Also, the amount of the award by the EEOC seems within reason. Now let's see if Bombadier appeals the ruling to the courts.
Rule 3, no Poofters!
If this is true, the company should have fired the v-p of sales.
Any company should be able to fire any employee for any reason.
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