 | |||
Firm News | |||
| Consultation Request |
Church resolves sexual advances suit for $83,000 By Tammy Joyner tjoyner@ajc.com A southwest Atlanta Church has settled a lawsuit for $83,000 with three former church workers who say they were fired after complaining about a church official's sexual advances. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Mount Carmel Baptist Church last May on behalf of the women, the first time the federal agency had sued an Atlanta-area church for work place retaliation. The church admitted no wrongdoing in settling the case. "We're certainly glad it's behind us," Ted Lackland, an attorney representing Mount Carmel. "The church can move on to do what it's empowered to do and to use the funds of the church toward those ends the church has agreed is appropriate." The EEOC rarely sues churches because they're often too small. Laws also make it tough for the government to intervene in church matters, especially if a case involves ministers or others in faith based duties. The Mount Carmel case, however, was unusual. With 10,000 members, the church is a religious and business powerhouse. It's part of a larger entity that distributes tapes and books and includes a television ministry. Beyond that, the three women in the lawsuit - Sharon Appleby, Sylvette Harvey and Eleesha Jones - were part of Mount Carmel's administrative staff, not its ministerial staff. The church official tied to the sex allegations has not worked at the church since early 2001. The women will get back pay and other damages. The consent decree also calls for Mount Carmel employees to be trained about the illegality of retaliating against workers who complain about employment discrimination. The church also must report any future complaints of retaliation for at least the next year. Law Offices of Debra E. Schwartz, LLC, 945 E. Paces Ferry Road, Suite 1770, Atlanta GA 30326
Phone: 404-842-7262 Fax: 404-842-7277, E-Mail des@GAEmploymentLawyers.com | ||