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Hank’s Furniture to Pay $110K In EEOC Religious Discrimination Lawsuit
July 19, 2024
Hank’s Furniture, Inc. will pay $110,000 and furnish other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) over and incident at nationwide retailer’s store in Pensacola.
According to the lawsuit, a former assistant manager at Hanks on Davis Highway notified the company that her religious beliefs prevented her from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Rather than discuss the employee’s religious beliefs to determine the feasibility of an accommodation, management ignored accommodation requests then summarily denied the employee’s requests and attempted to dispute the validity of her sincerely-held religious beliefs, the EEOC said.
The commission said the alleged conduct violated a prohibition on religious discrimination, which requires an employer to accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs if the employer knows or suspects the beliefs conflict with an employer requirement, and there is no undue burden on the employer.
Under the three-year decree settling the case, Hank’s will also adopt and implement a written policy assuring employees the retaler will interpret religious accommodation requests broadly based on EEOC guidance and will accommodate religious beliefs that do not put an undue burden on the company. Additionally, decision makers, managers and employees will receive updated training about religious accommodation and anti-discrimination provisions.
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22 Responses to “Hank’s Furniture to Pay $110K In EEOC Religious Discrimination Lawsuit”
To all of the anti-vaxxer nuts.
The vaccine did exactly what it was supposed to do. It significantly lowered the mortality rate, and moderately lowered the transmission rate.
Honestly, I don’t know why I bother. Deep down, you all know that you’re lying. You’re just too proud to admit that you were wrong and too ashamed to admit that you were perfectly content to let people in your community die in order to stroke your own ego.
Personally, one of the curses/blessings of COVID-19 is that it showed me just how vile and misguided so many of my neighbors are. I don’t trust you anymore, and bluntly, after the way you behaved? I never will again.
@George,
I REFUSED to take the jab. I am immunocompromised, and my doctor (who was very pro jab) agreed that it would be more harmful than beneficial for me. I was an “essential” employee who only wore a mask at work because my employer required it. I didn’t get Covid. I knew others who were healthy and DID get the jab who had bad cases of it.
@jb,
Perhaps you should read the laws concerning freedom of religion. You obviously don’t understand them.
@Kane,
Did you perhaps consider that her opposition to the vaccine WAS because of her religion???
@Lou,
If other businesses were doing this as well, they, too, were breaking the law.
@Anne,
What you HAVE to do is respect everyone’s freedom of religion. Hank’s wasn’t protecting anybody since the vaccine didn’t prevent anyone from getting OR spreading the virus, so it was a stupid hill to die on.
Didn’t take the shot..Didn’t wear a mask..worked for me..Didn’t get covid. This is America an we cannot allow our government to do this again…biggest hoax
Anyone who forced an experimental drug on another human being should be criminally prosecuted for crimes against humanity. ie. Nuremburg 2.0. The jab is a bioweapon folks.
it’s not a conspiracy he really said that.
Conspiracy much?
Ronald Reagans famous quote ”The nine most terrifying words in the English language are. I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.
she should have been fired for lack of concern as a danger to the public—attempted murder-etc seooo many die because of freaks like her
The vaccine worked/didn’t work they only thing we’ve learned from this is that Americans depend too much on our government and can easily be divided like we’re a bunch of goons looking for a fight.
Hank’s Furniture Florida is an “at will” state you should have just fired her for wearing the wrong shirt on a Tuesday and you would’ve avoided a cash settlement. Using “religious” reasons to get out of a shot instead of just being honest and telling them you didn’t feel safe getting a vaccine seems very dirty I would never trust someone that uses their religion as an excuse.
I personally received the vaccine I wouldn’t recommend it and can confirm through experience it does not work.
I took all the shots and wore my mask and stayed away from people with covid, this all worked for me. Tell all the thousands of people that died from covid how much of a scam covid was
The shots and the masks may not have been 100% effective but I did not get covid. A lot of those who refused to take “THE JAB” died because of their hard head. HANK SHOULD HAVE WON.
HAVE A NICE DAY.
Anne, these companies broke the law terminating people over their freedom to chose not to have a vaccine. So you respect that? You may need to focus more on the side effects of the vaccine that are being acknowledged now by your highly respected CDC. These people are not feeling very safe.
@anne I wouldn’t be so quick to give Hank’s credit for going against what is our Constitutional right as an American. I commend the EEOC for doing their job! God bless them!
Anne, that is all true as long as we wholeheartedly ignore the facts. The vaccine did not, in fact, keep you from contracting the virus, it did not, in fact, keep you from spreading the virus. Apparently, your feelings, and those of Hank’s management, are more important that the constitutionally protected freedom of religion. I’m glad to see them held responsible for this and I, in fact, will never darken their door.
Thanks Brandon
anne: Just in case you have not heard. The Covid vaccines DO NOT WORK. They do not keep you from getting Covid. They do not prevent you from spreading Covid. They harm more than help. Just ask our current President.
@ anne, you can’t be serious. Covid has been overblown and has been considered by the CDC to be treated no differently than the flu. Forcing a vaccine, especially an untested one on people isn’t a virtuous act. It’s impeding on an individual’s rights and it’s authoritarian. If covid is that dangerous then Biden is in serious trouble.
I have to respect this employee’s choice to stand on their religious belief. Masks didn’t work and the six foot rule was arbitrarily set. We all have religious beliefs and must choose to be a healing light to the world.
Religious beliefs? I have them too but was forced to take the shots if I wanted to keep my job. Hank’s was following what all businesses were doing at the time. I don’t think you reward that with monetary amounts.
Good for the employee. Her Body Her Choice, right!
So Hanks was forcing their employees to get the jab? Same jab that did nothing to prevent the spread of COVID? Hope they go out of business.
Hank’s ‘Fined’ Furniture.
The Covid scamdemic, gift that keeps on giving.
I have to respect Hank’s choice to protect employees and customers at their store. Covid is serious and we do not need one person deciding our fate. We all have religious beliefs but most choose to keep humans safe.