Southwest mandated to undergo religious freedom training.
A Texas District Judge Orders Southwest Airlines to Provide Religious Freedom Training
In a recent ruling, District Judge Brantley Starr has ordered Southwest Airlines to send three of its lawyers for religious freedom training. This decision comes after the airline fired a flight attendant, Charlene Carter, for expressing her religious views on social media.
Judge Starr’s order requires Southwest to organize religious freedom training and send a notice to all its flight attendants regarding the protections on religious speech. The lawsuit filed by Ms. Carter highlighted the violation of her rights by the airline.
Southwest terminated Ms. Carter’s employment after she shared her views on abortion online, claiming that it violated their “civility policy.” However, the Judge emphasized that federal protections for religious freedom supersede any company policy.
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The Judge’s opinion states, “Southwest needs to understand, when communicating with its employees, that federal protections for religious freedom override any company civility policy. The rule of law and the republican form of government guarantee no less.”
Initially, Ms. Carter filed a lawsuit against Southwest, and the jury found that the airline had indeed violated her protections of religious speech under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The court ordered her reinstatement and prohibited Southwest from discriminating based on religious beliefs.
However, instead of complying with the court’s order, Southwest sent a notice to its flight attendants stating that they do not discriminate against employees for their religious practices and beliefs. This action contradicted the court’s intent.
Southwest also issued a memo to its flight attendants, instructing them to adhere to the policies that led to Ms. Carter’s termination. As a result, Ms. Carter sought sanctions against the airline.
In a vivid illustration of Southwest’s actions, the Judge wrote, “It’s hard to see how Southwest could have violated the notice requirement more.” He used modified historical and movie anecdotes to emphasize the airline’s disregard for the court’s order.
In the final opinion, the court concluded that Southwest not only failed to comply with the order but also distorted its meaning. The Judge suggested that Southwest’s lawyers attend religious freedom training to gain a better understanding of how to respect the law in the future.
To ensure compliance, the Texas court has issued the following requirements for Southwest:
- The three lawyers responsible for Ms. Carter’s firing, Kerrie Forbes, Kevin Minchey, and Chris Maberry, must undergo religious freedom training by the non-profit Alliance Defending Freedom. The deadline for completion is August 28.
- Southwest must email each flight attendant with an amended statement, clarifying that under Title VII, the airline may not discriminate against employees for their religious practices and beliefs.
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