Wiccans fired over Samhain trip to Salem, MA.

by **Wilgrove** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Wiccan Says Firing Was Religious Bias
By CHRISTINE STUART

HARTFORD (CN) - A sales manager says she was fired unfairly for making her annual religious pilgrimage to Salem, Mass., to celebrate the Wiccan New Year. She claims her boss told her, "You will need a new career in your new year. ... I will be damned if I have a devil-worshipper on my team." nIn her federal complaint, Gina Uberti says she worked for Bath and Body Works for 8 years, and for 6 years had been allowed to make the annual trip in October celebrate the Wiccan holiday of Samhain.

She says she was granted her request to take vacation the week of Oct. 31, 2008 by her boss at the time, regional manager Scott Kerby. But Kerby was replaced by Sandra Scibelli, whom Bath and Body Works hired in 2008, according to the complaint.

On Nov. 4, 2008 Uberti says, she had a phone conversation with Scibelli, who expressed disappointment that Uberti had chosen the week of Oct. 31 for her vacation. Uberti says she explained that her vacation had already been approved and that she was celebrating a religious holiday. Uberti says Scibelli responded, "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Let me ask you where your priorities should have been?"

Uberti says she asked what was ridiculous, and Scibelli replied: "Well, you will need a new career in your new year." Scibelli allegedly added, "I will be damned if I have a devil-worshipper on my team."Uberti says she was fired in November 2008. She seeks lost wages and punitive damages for religious discrimination.
She is represented by James Sabatini of Newington.

The lawsuit states that many Wiccans go to Salem, Mass. to celebrate their new year, which begins at sundown on Oct. 31, but it does not explain why they chose Salem - perhaps an unlikely choice - for the festival. Samhain, or the Wiccan New Year, is "the most important of the four 'greater Sabbats'" or festivals, for Wiccans, Uberti says.

Link

Well, she didn't violate any company policy, she followed everything correctly, she got fired because her boss was an ass. I hope she wins.

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:34 pm

I hope she wins too, her boss is a douche, *nods*

by **The Norse Hordes** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:36 pm

Maurepas wrote:I hope she wins too, her boss is a douche, *nods*

/thread

by **JuNii** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:36 pm

Wilgrove wrote: Well, she didn't violate any company policy, she followed everything correctly, she got fired because her boss was an ass. I hope she wins.

I hope so too. her vacation was approved and planned out ahead of time. so it's the Manager's fault for not paying attention to the vacation schedule. *nods*

by **Muravyets** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:36 pm

If that story is accurate, and she doesn't win her suit, then the court is bigoted, too, because that's pretty fucking obvious discrimination and wrongful dismissal. I wonder if Bath & Body Works will try to settle out of court.

by **Dododecapod** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:44 pm

Probably. Be cheaper than the court costs, though unless any of those conversations was recorded, it turns into she-said/she-said territory.

by **Muravyets** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:48 pm

Dododecapod wrote:Probably. Be cheaper than the court costs, though unless any of those conversations was recorded, it turns into she-said/she-said territory.

Well, that's why we hire lawyers to make our arguments for us. But even so, it would not look good for the company. On the other hand, companies sometimes do stupid shit. Guess it depends how much B&BW feels like being a bunch of pricks about it.

EDIT: I once had a bad experience with a serious asshole boss, and when the company's lawyers got wind of it, they fell all over themselves rushing to give me whatever I wanted to go away. I didn't even get fired. It was a seasonal job that was already ending with neither harm nor foul, when this bitch who hated me for some personal reason decided to slander me with a false -- provably false -- accusation of stealing. At first the company were inclined to be dicks, but their legal department straightened them out fast, because I could have made a case against them -- not an easy one since I didn't lose a job by it, but if I succeeded it would have been a BIG one.

by **JuNii** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:52 pm

Dododecapod wrote:Probably. Be cheaper than the court costs, though unless any of those conversations was recorded, it turns into she-said/she-said territory.

not really. after all, if Gina Uberti's work history with Bath and Body is exceptional (and there's no evidence that it shouldn't be.) then Sandra Scibelli will have to show probable cause for the firing. considering Uberti's 8 year history with the company, Sandra will have a lot to prove.

especially if Scott Kerby can back up her work history.

chances are, Bath and Body will settle out of court to avoid more negative press.

by **Dyakovo** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:53 pm

Maurepas wrote:I hope she wins too, her boss is a douche, *nods*

/\ This /\

by **Post-Unity Terra** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:20 pm

On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

by **Wilgrove** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:27 pm

Post-Unity Terra wrote:On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

You should probably rephrase the first part. I'd suggest "I don't agree with Wicca, but....".

by **Post-Unity Terra** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:30 pm

Wilgrove wrote:
Post-Unity Terra wrote:On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

You should probably rephrase the first part. I'd suggest "I don't agree with Wicca, but....".

If you don't like it, swing by moderation.

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:34 pm

Wilgrove wrote:
Post-Unity Terra wrote:On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

You should probably rephrase the first part. I'd suggest "I don't agree with Wicca, but....".

Silly Wil, politeness has no place on the internet,

by **DaWoad** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:36 pm

Post-Unity Terra wrote:On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

no more so than many other religions . . .also try to tone down the language a little

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:42 pm

DaWoad wrote:
Post-Unity Terra wrote:On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

no more so than many other religions . . .also try to tone down the language a little

Even if it was, its not a tough call, Its illegal to fire someone over their religious beliefs...

by **DaWoad** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:44 pm

Maurepas wrote:
DaWoad wrote:
Post-Unity Terra wrote:On the one hand Wicca is fucking stupid, on the other hand the boss is a total shit. Tough one.

no more so than many other religions . . .also try to tone down the language a little

Even if it was, its not a tough call, Its illegal to fire someone over their religious beliefs...

agreed completely

by **Brostkorgen** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:48 pm

Maurepas wrote:I hope she wins too, her boss is a douche, *nods*

Agreed

by **New Olwe** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:48 pm

I hope I'm in charge of something someday. I'll never hire a single Christian.

by **Bunyippie** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:50 pm

I am sure the boss got a lovely reaming out by corporate offices. This is a blantant anti-religious firing. Its stuff like this which the legal dept of any buisness will have a heart attack over, because its easy to prove they were fired due to bias. worked someplace for 8 years, went through all the proper channels for it, and the like.

care to lay odds the manager will be fired?

by **Thethunderdome** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:51 pm

New Olwe wrote:I hope I'm in charge of something someday. I'll never hire a single Christian.

by **The Blaatschapen** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:52 pm

New Olwe wrote:I hope I'm in charge of something someday. I'll never hire a single Christian.

Start a career in the Middle East

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:54 pm

New Olwe wrote:I hope I'm in charge of something someday. I'll never hire a single Christian.

Pssst....thats the exact same thing the douchey boss is doing...just a protip...

by **Fotonia** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:00 am

Before giving the corporation a red-card, shouldn't the determination be made as to whether Wicca is recognized as a bona-fide religion? If it isn't, then the matter would fall upon whether the vacation time had already been approved for that year (2008? Why is this just now being discussed?) From what I understand, even the almighty Scientology is being demoted in some places. Besides laziness, what prevents me from founding the Holy Order of the Inca-Dinka-Doos, getting a couple thousand followers from the Interwebz and declaring a week in August as a holy week? Then suing the pants off my (suddenly former) employer when my holy week falls conveniently during the busiest part of the year?

by **NERVUN** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:01 am

Post-Unity Terra, your responce to Wilgrove leaves you treading on thin ice, I highly suggest that you tone it down.

by **New Olwe** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:18 am

The Blaatschapen wrote:Start a career in the Middle East

Yeah, because they love pagans in the Middle East. :palm:

Maurepas wrote:Pssst....thats the exact same thing the douchey boss is doing...just a protip...

Karma.

Wiccans fired over Samhain trip to Salem, MA.

Wiccans fired over Samhain trip to Salem, MA.

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