November 4, 2024
A recent court decision has affirmed that employees in Ohio are protected from being fired or disciplined for not following their employer’s religious beliefs. The Federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Amos v. Lampo Grp., LLC that a Tennessee-based employer could not fire an employee for refusing to conform to its religious views (2024 FED App. 0346N (6th Cir.)).
Lampo Group, the company run by Dave Ramsey, a well-known author and financial advisor, hired Brad Amos as a video editor. Amos initially felt that working at Lampo Group was a good fit due to its public support of Christian values, but Amos said his stance changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Amos, Lampo Group was hostile to any COVID-19 precautions, such as working from home, social distancing, or wearing masks. He says the companyâs policy was that prayer was the “exclusive way to prevent COVID-19 infection” and that any other measures showed a “weakness of spiritâ and were “against the will of God.â Employees who took precautions were “mocked and derided.”
Lampo Group aggressively promoted its religious stance against COVID-19 protections while demeaning Amosâs belief that taking precautions was necessary for the safety of his family and others.
In July 2020, Lampo Group fired Amos, citing a “lack of humility” and claiming he “wasnât a good fit because he ‘would stand off to the side all of the time.'” However, it was clear that Amos’s termination stemmed from his refusal to follow the companyâs religious beliefs about the COVID-19 virus.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, a federal law, protects employees from religious discrimination. Typically, religious discrimination happens when an employer refuses to accommodate an employeeâs sincerely held religious belief. However, in Amosâs case, courts have referred to this âreverse religious discrimination,â since it involves being penalized for not conforming to the employerâs religious beliefs.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency that enforces this law, recommended that the Federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals classify this case as a religious nonconformity claim, which means Amos was discriminated against for not following his employer’s religious beliefs. The court concurred, sending the case back to the federal district court for further proceedings.
This case highlights the growing relevance of religious nonconformity claims in the workplace, where employees face discrimination for not adhering to their employerâs religious beliefs.
The Hurm Law Firm is actively assisting a client pursue a similar claim and offers free consultations for individuals seeking guidance on such cases. Call (216) 860-1922 or schedule a free consultation online.