by Angelica La Rosa
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“NO EMPLOYEE SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO ABANDON HIS FAITH ON ENTERING THE WORKPLACE”
A Los Angeles County Fire Department captain has received a partial religious exemption in his dispute with the county over raising the gay pride flag, though the captain’s lawyers say the exemption is “insufficient.”
The story concerns Captain Jeffrey Little who was ordered to hoist the so-called “Progressive Pride” flag on the lifeguard station on the beach where he worked.
Little, a Christian, had asked for a religious exemption to the rule. The lawsuit, filed in part by attorneys for the Thomas More Society, alleged that Little was suspended from duty in a department unit because of the controversy and subjected to an internal investigation. He also alleged that Little’s superiors violated his privacy by informing unauthorized people of his request for religious reasons, which led to him receiving a death threat in the mail.
In a news release, the Thomas More Society said the Fire Department had “agreed to partially comply” with Little’s request not to raise the flag at the lifeguard station.
The Fire Department “has assured that Little will not be personally responsible for raising or lowering the Progressive Pride flag because he will either be assigned to positions where the Progressive Pride flag cannot be raised during the month of June, or he may change shifts in said positions,” they said from the legal group.
“No employee should be expected to abandon their faith upon entering the workplace,” Little said. “I felt cornered where my faith was incompatible with the demands of my job.”
“My prayer is that people of faith thrive in the workplace and don’t feel like they have to hide that part of themselves to be successful in their work,” Little concluded.
Photo from Pixabay
