Would this lawsuit have merit?

Question

A few years back I worked at a company called the Southern California Organ Procurement Center, which handled organ donation for the L.A. area. A few months after I started they changed their name to "OneLegacy" with the idea that "we all have one life, in which to give one gift, and leave one legacy". Being a lifelong believer in reincarnation, I found this whole one-one-one deal a little offensive. I shared my feelings with senior management and asked them to change the name but they refused. Eventually I had a breakdown over the issue and was terminated for not showing up. So my question is, given the significant mental stress I incurred over the issue and the morality of earning a living at a place that insulted my most cherished spiritual beliefs, would there be any kind of a merit for a wrongful termination, civil rights violent, mental anguish, etc?

While I genuinely appreciate the opinions, I am really looking for an answer from a legal expert. According to U.S. law, State of California, Los Angeles County, does this constitute a hostile workplace, mental anguish, or a wrongful termination?

Answer 1

No, I doubt it. You didn't have to stay with that company. You only had a problem with the name, not what they do. You could have found another job and you didn't show up for work, which led to your terminatioin. I doubt you have a case.

Answer 2

You were fired for nonperformance of your job, not subjected to any type of illegal discrimination from the facts that you have presented. Furthermore, you stated this happened "a few years back", so your claim might be barred by the applicable statute of limitation.

Quite frankly, I find it extremely hard to believe that you suffered a mental breakdown just because your employer's name and vision statement went against this one belief that you hold. Even if the employer did engage in some illegal discrimination, you can see by the reactions you have received here that a jury probably wouldn't be too sympathetic to your claim.

Answer 3

technicaly there is no lawsuit there, the name was not a violation of any religion, nor was it discriminatory in any way, it may have been offensive against your personal believes, but not to the point where it would be seen as justifiable grounds for discrimination. as far as the wrongful termination, they terminated your employment for attendance reasons, if you had shown up for work and they had fired you for your beliefs then, and only then, would it justify a lawsuit. I am sorry, but best to just move on and keep personal beliefs and ethics seperate from work. If everyone could start a lawsuit against their employer because they do not agree with the way the business is ran, nammed, whatever, then we would have no banks, or law firms to file the suits!

Answer 4

You do that ,and everybody will be suing over names of local businesses , all because it offends them ... and even if there is a such thing as reincarnation you still only have one life ( at a time )) why do you think this country is getting so candy *ssed today , because they get their feelings hurt because everything is not their way ...you can waist your money ,and file BUT ..I doubt you will win , because as you stated "with the idea " you have to have solid evidence physical proof that this is the meaning of the company name ,and it was meant to offend you ,and everyone else that shares in your beliefs ...not gonna happen .....

Answer 5

Nope, no merit here. Difference of opinion and you no longer fit the company model.

Answer 6

i woulda fired you just for being a whiner. the world's unfair, i woulda thought you'd realized that by now (being an adult and all) so suck it up and deal with it.