Government Employee Suspended For Expressing Religious Beliefs In Email

An woman employee of a state agency in California was suspended for 30 days, due to an email she sent out. She had read an article in a national magazine that featured a lesbian attorney and her partner. What upset the woman was a sentence attributed to the attorney:

That statement read: "Hypocrisy occurs when religion is used to justify why two people should not be married."

She wrote to the attorney, explaining her views from a biblical standpoint, and quoted scripture. The attorney contacted her employer and complained about the email and said that quoting scripture was 'harassing'. Would you think perhaps this attorney got a little 'convicted'?

The Pacific Justice Institute has now filed an appeal with the State Personnel Board on the employee's behalf. PJI's Brad Dacus says workers' rights to express their religious convictions -- "especially when they are acting in their personal capacity" -- must be preserved.

Brad Dacus said other employees were able to email during their breaks or lunch time, and they weren't punished. He says no employee should be punished simply because their email is coming from a Christian perspective. He also said that there is protection in the Constitution that prohibits an employee from censoring mail sent during lunch or break time, "simply because they don't like the religious viewpoint or perspective used in that email".

A lawsuit may be possible. But, the employee has just finished her 30 day suspension. But, he says his law firm won't stand by while free speech if flattened because of political correctness.

Technorati| Religion, Free, Political