Ashley Furniture Being Sued For Firing Employee Because She Is Lesbain

From Huff Po: A New Jersey outlet of America's largest furniture manufacturing companies has been slapped with a lawsuit from a former employee who says she was fired because she's a lesbian.

As the Courthouse News Service reports, Isabel Perez is suing the Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Secaucus, N.J., along with the shop's CEO Eugene Chrinian and director of people services and development Kathy Martin.

Perez claims that she was asked by Chrinian and Martin about her marital status and religious views in separate employment interviews. After Perez was offered the job, Martin summoned her to her office for a meeting.

"At the start of this meeting, Martin took hold of plaintiff's hands and began to pray to God to ask for guidance in addressing the particular work situation that they were set to discuss," the complaint states. It continues:

"During this same meeting, Martin disclosed the fact that she was frequently possessed by Jesus and would sometimes speak in tongues without warning. At this meeting, Martin said that she 'spoke to God' and that she was 'sure [they] would make a balanced team.

"During this meeting, Martin made a number of derogatory remarks about homosexuals, stating that 'lesbos and gays would be judged' and that she follows the 'word of Leviticus' -- which purportedly condemns homosexuality -- and that 'there are many who call themselves true Christians, but they don't know what that means."

The complaint also reports that Perez was made aware that Martin directed "derogatory and discriminatory" comments, including "nigga," "lesbo" and "fag," toward a number of colleagues. Though Perez tried to keep her sexual orientation private, "it was well known among plaintiff's co-workers that she was a lesbian and was married to a woman."

Perez was fired in 2012 after Martin allegedly spotted a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) bumper sticker on her car:

"Martin then asked plaintiff whether it was for 'the gays' and then proceed to tell plaintiff that she was not sure that she made the right decision about hiring plaintiff because she did not fit the 'culture' at the company. She then explained that she was going to 'speak to God' about plaintiff's continued employment with Ashley."

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Comments

[CoG]

Ew. What is the company's take on all of this? Because if that manager wasn't fired, I'm sure as shit not shopping at that store.

[The Last Archimedean]

I just received a message from God.

She says to fire anyone who attempts to use Her as an excuse to discriminate against others. She also told me that She will let everyone into the Kingdom of Heaven except people who use religion as an attempted justification for hatred. Those people will be judged, found wanting and sent to Hell.

Now give this woman her job back, fire the incompetent, intolerant manager and any people above her who approved of this nonsense, and move on.

[Kel]

Any other source on this? Huffington post is really shady and is known to outright lie.

[K-dub]

Ugh. I've shopped in that location recently. Never again.

[AmigaTech]

Lesbain? You might want to fix that.

--AT the pedant

[Boho]

Leviticus also talks about animal sacrifices. Just sayin'.

[Hellbound Alleee]

"Any other source on this?"

Sheesh, did you not see the link? It's not Huffington Post. It's the Courthouse News Service. I'd like to know the source that "knows" that the Huffington Post makes up stories, and which ones they were. That would be news.

[RayvenMoon]

Even at the chance of missing out on the job, I'd have walked out the minute religion came up AND reported that heifer for her questions.

[Jami]

Whatever happened to "love thy neighbor" and "judge not"? Hating people for being gay is NOT Christian and if Jesus was around he'd be verbally ripping people a new one. You'd be seeing old "Pissed off Jesus in the temple" anger.

Course these are usually the type of people who also hate it when I point out that Jesus was Jewish and if he was alive would not be eating a bacon cheeseburger.

[Dhamp]

Hellbound Alleee:

Didn't you see the special on how all news from even slightly liberal sources is a lie?

[trekkiebabe]

Yeah, the minute the manager used those offensive words around me, I would have looked at her and said "You keep using that word Christian, I do not think it means what you think it means". I really hope that she was fired over this and Perez got her job back!

[The Worst]

@Trekkiebabe - I have never seen a better use of Princess Bride quotation.

Yet another wackadoodle making the rest of us Christians look lousy. That's it, I'm converting to Verdukianism.

[mike]

I was fired from the same store in Secaucus, by the owner Eugene Chrinian because I would not accept Jesus in my life. I was told by Eugene that I will burn in hell. This company has been getting away with murder and not getting punished for it, based on my knowledge there is numerous complaints filed with the EEOC, in regards to sexual and religious discrimination and nothing has been done as of yet.

[Nomnom]

*marks Ashley off her list*
Does anyone know if Rooms To Go is still good? There is this sectional I really want from it...

[Ninja manager]

Religion should not be brought up at all in an interview. If it does, I'd report them for breaking the rules. You are not allowed to discriminate or ask for personal things like religion and medical in an interview.

[Skittles]

@Jami pleaseread the bible because that behaviour is in fact Christian. Deliberatley choosing to misinterpret the source material doesn't make it more toelrant.

You know whats really funny? The parts of your brain that are active when deep in prayer or meditation, are the same parts that are active when you are mentally ill.

[Bitch Boy]

Time to cleanse the gene-pool. "Everybody out!"
*backs up a tanker full of bleach*

[Laszlo]

Mike,

My firm represents Isabel Perez in this matter.

If you or anyone would like to talk further about your termination from Ashley Furniture, please feel free to email me at Laszlo@ottingerlaw.com.

[mike zaeem]

I can't believe this company..it has no respect for anyone...It seems that they have done it again.

www.discriminatedemployees.com

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/new-jersey/njdce/2:2013cv02443/288518/