Supreme Court Rejects Test Case of Workplace Religious Harassment

AP ^ | 10.29.01 | Gina Holland

[NonZeroSum]

If one is not 'free' to inquire or offer; then, one is not truly 'free'.

Then live with the fact that no one is "truly free" in the work place. There is no free speech in the work place, if one wants to continue employment there. If you want to proselytize at work, and the boss doesn't like it, go get another job. The First Amendment applies only to Congress passing laws--not employment conditions.

[RnMomof7]

An employee is free to say or do whatever he wants, and an employer is free to terminate his employment as a result.

May a Christian that is offended by obsene language by co workers expect the employer to fire those offenders too..To me the issue of free speech is dominant..I offer to pray with you because you are sick..you say NO, I say "ok,I hope you feel better"..

We have cross dressers and transsexuals swishing across our workplaces with all the freedom in the world..but God forbid the name of Jesus Christ be uttered in public..

One Nation under God

Rememeber 9/11

[geaux]

Why do people need laws "protecting" them from this and other similar behavior? Doesn't anyone know how to say, "Please leave me alone" or "Sorry; I'm not interested"?

[Salgak]

It's harassment. This is a private job, on private property. If the person is disrupting work, he/she can and SHOULD be disciplined. The First Amendment applies to GOVERNMENT actions, not those of private individuals and/or concerns. . .

That being said. . . I worked in a place with an obnoxiously forward prosletyzer. He was extremely sincere, but also extremely obnoxious: he butted into every conversation, and tried forcing his viewpoint on everyone (he was a member of a small, fundamentalist Baptist (???) offshoot, I think it was the Bereans. . . ). He was finally let go after throwing a fit that he wasn't allowed to take three months off with pay to be a missionary in South America (he had maybe a week's vacation time stored up. . .)

[Lazamataz]

An employee [Kenneth Weiss] fired after giving Bibles to co-workers and praying with them lost his religious harassment case before the Supreme Court, but justices refused Monday to block a trial on the termination.

Oh my G-d, they killed Kenny! You b*st*rds!!!

[RnMomof7]

Why do people need laws "protecting" them from this and other similar behavior? Doesn't anyone know how to say, "Please leave me alone" or "Sorry; I'm not interested"?

Thank you for some common sense! I attended an employer workshop on Sexual Harassment.They went though the "reporting" proceedures

When I raised my hand and pointed out that it had been my experience all one has to do is to say "excuse me ,but that joke or language offends me,generally they stop it.

I was told that wasn't the point..I had an "obligation" to protect the "other women " in my work place

We have become a nation of victims !

[ShadowAce]

Kenneth Weiss offered a Bible to a Muslim co-worker at a Florida medical lab and called a lesbian colleague's attention to Scripture that describes homosexuality as "vile" and "unseemly."

Thanks for the bump....

But I wondered about this phrase. I wonder exactly how he called her attention to that verse--whether it was nice, or if he beat her over the head with it. Attitude makes a big difference in this sort of activity.

[RnMomof7]

If a christian is offended by language, they can claim workplace harassment, just as any other employee.

Which will become the object of jokes and be generally ignored..because we live in a culture that believes it is the norm.

[jude24]

Kenneth Weiss offered a Bible to a Muslim co-worker at a Florida medical lab and called a lesbian colleague's attention to Scripture that describes homosexuality as "vile" and "unseemly." The born again Christian also "laid hands" on ill co-workers and prayed over a malfunctioning machine.

Under what context? We really don't know enough to make an informed judgment.

Scenario 1: Lesbian is openly boasting about her homosexual relationship in a conversation with the Christian. Then, it is appropriate to discuss the Biblical perspective on homosexuality.

Scenario 2: Believer hears, "So-and-so is a lesbian," and takes it upon himself to correct her. He initiates the discussion, and it gets out of hand. That's harassment.

Similarly, what was the deal with the co-workers? Did the co-workers want him to lay hands and pray over them? IF so, than this is an infringement on the believer's rights. If they didnt approve it, than he could pray silently in his cubicle, and not be disruptive.

A workplace exists to get work done. If this man was disruptive to that end (even if he's right), the employer was well within their bounds to fire him.

[callisto]

We have become a nation of victims !

WELL SAID!!!!!!The liberal left and the Trial Lawyers depend on this mentality to survive. If more people would stand up for themselves and their beliefs this attitude would be much less prevalent.

[RicocheT]

Praying over a machine isn't so far out. When you get the blue screen of death while installing WinXP, I bet you will say a few words of prayer that you ever see your files again.

[RnMomof7]

I think it was the hope of the petitoners to the court that they would give some guidelines,not necessarily rule in their favor.I believe it was more a test case

I heard of a nurse in a local Cancer hospital,that sat with a patient reading scripture the day before her surgery..the other patient in the room (not a party to the discussion,the privacy drap was drawn) was fired for bring 'religion' into the workplace.

We are at the point we need guidelines..

[Valin]

We are called to but wise as serpents. That means knowing when to keep your mouth shut.

[callisto]

if you had a bunch of Muslims giving you the Koran or Hindi's chanting the vedic scriptures or a satanist or two witnessing to you, you would run to your Manager to get them to stop....

Been there, but didn't do that! The proper words said at the proper time can alleviate and end most harrassment issues arising in the workplace. And sometimes they don't even have to be "nice" words, just saying them at the right time can have a most beneficial effect.

[drjimmy]

We have become a nation of victims !
The sad thing is, you don't even realize that the one claiming victimhood status is Kenneth Weiss. He was fired for being a problem employee and went crying to the court trying to use a law only liberals should love, whining that it was his right to hold this job.

One Nation under God Rememeber 9/11
I remember 9/11 very well. A bunch of nuts who wanted this nation under their God murdered a few thousand people. I'm as against a Christian Taliban as I am a Muslim one.