A dentist from Michigan is now being sued by four of her former employees for playing Christian music in her clinic and holding prayer meetings with her staff members even though they did not want to.
According to The Washington Post, the former employees of Tina Marshall filed a lawsuit against her back in August 2015 in Oakland County. Jury trial will begin this summer.
In their complaint, the plaintiffs "are seeking damages for loss of past and future income and employment benefits, outrage, humiliation, embarrassment, mental anxiety, emotional distress, and loss of professional reputation."
Nancy Kordus, one of the complaining former employees, told Clarkston News that they were "all on edge" because they were trying to treat the patients well and perform their duties, "but she kept forcing the music and her beliefs on us."
Even when some patients complained about the music and Kordus turned it off, Marshall reprimanded her for being "disobedient," saying the music was being played to "ward off demons."
The other employees include Kimberly Hinson, Tammy Kulis, and Sara Bambard. All of them are suing Marshall for violating Michigan's Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits any form of discrimination concerning "religion, race, colour, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status" in employment, education, housing, and many others.
Marshall's lawyer Keith Jablonski, on the other hand, said his client is "being attacked in this lawsuit for her Christian beliefs, based solely on her desire to play religious music and radio stations in the dental office of the business that she owns."
"We believe that when the facts, and not baseless allegations, are presented to a jury, we will establish that this group of former disgruntled employees are simply looking to profit off of their own prejudices towards Dr. Marshall and her Christian faith," he said. "Dr. Marshall flatly denies engaging in any discriminatory employment practices."
