Social Security judge sues to avoid being fired

canada goose black friday sale Flags are waved during the National LGBT 50th Anniversary Ceremony, Saturday, July 4, 2015. canada goose outlet near me (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) canada goose black friday sale

buy canada goose jacket Citing his First Amendment rights and religious protections under the Civil Rights Act, a Social Security Administration judge in Texas who refused to watch an LGBT diversity training video is suing his superiors to avoid being fired, saying he was subject to a "religiously hostile work environment." buy canada goose jacket

canada goose clearance Judge Gary Suttles said in a complaint filed Thursday in federal court in Texas that the Social Security Administration, or SSA, should be barred from canada goose outlet official taking canada goose outlet in usa any disciplinary actionagainst him at least until his religious discrimination claims are heard by a federal canada goose outlet price employment panel. canada goose clearance

"The agency has wholly failed to work in good faith to reasonably accommodate Judge Suttles' sincerely held religious belief against watching" the video, the complaint says.

Canada Goose Parka The agency violated his rights, the complaint says, "by discriminating against him on the basis of hisreligion, creating canada goose outlet in chicago a religiously hostile work environment," and by "retaliating against him for his protected activity of seeking a religious accommodation." Canada Goose Parka

canadian goose jacket A representative from the SSA was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday. canadian goose jacket

Canada Goose sale Suttles's canada goose outlet london uk case canada goose jacket uk comes amid a sweeping expansion of LGBT rights, during which courts have ruled against bakers, florists and others who say anti discrimination measures clash with their religious liberties. Social conservatives and someChristians argue that canada goose outlet real the government should not be able to force them to offer their services to same sex couples, and they canada goose outlet store montreal havesought religious freedom exemptions as recourse. Canada Goose sale

canada goose Some of the most high profile cases have played out in the business world, including a lawsuit against aChristian baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple. But government officials have drawn attention for their defiance, too, among them Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky who refused to issue same sex marriage licenses in violation of a Supreme Court ruling. canada goose

Canada Goose online Suttles was hired as an administrative law canada goose outlet michigan judge in the Houston District office of the SSA in 2005. canada goose outlet jackets In the time since, he has never received a reprimand or warning,his complaint says. Canada Goose online

canada goose coats on sale In May, one of the office's directors sent an email orderingemployees to watch a canada goose outlet new york city video called "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community." The 17 canada goose outlet miami minute video included a message from the agency commissioner and "a brief session on tips for increasing cultural awareness in a diverse and inclusive environment," according to the complaint. The email said canada goose coats uk the SSA was responding to a 2011 executive order from President Obama that instructed federal agencies to develop new workplace diversity and inclusion plans. canada goose coats on sale

Suttles wasted no time telling the office director he would not watch the video.

canada goose coats "I am already fully aware to treat all persons with respect and dignity and have done so my entire life," he said in an email the next day, according to the complaint. "Furthermore, this type of government indoctrination training does not comport with my religious views and I object on that basis as well. canada goose coats

cheap Canada Goose Monica Anderson, the hearing office's chief administrative law judge, responded with a goose canada goose outlet outlet canada sharply worded canada goose outlet belgium messagegiving Suttles a "direct order" canada goose outlet new york to watch the training video. "Failure to follow this directive may lead to disciplinary action," the chief judge said, according to the complaint. Anderson also denied Suttles's request for a religious accommodation, saying the agency needed to ensure "all employees know about and comply with this." cheap Canada Goose

The back and forth carried on for a few months. Suttles suggested canada goose outlet online uk that the agency give him a pass by allowing him to take a professional ethics course or "alternative diversity" course that "did not deal with such a specific community of people." Anderson declined, proposing instead that Suttles read a transcript of the video. Suttles again refused.

canada goose store "Judge Suttles continued to refuse to watch canada goose outlet nyc the mandatory," the complaint says, "because it is the substantive content of which, not the medium by which the content was delivered that violates his faith." canada goose store

buy canada goose jacket cheap By the fall, Suttles's case had made its way to the regional canada goose outlet toronto address chief administrative law judge, who issued an official reprimand and warned Suttles that "future acts of misconduct" could result in more serious punishment, including removal from the job. (Administrative law judges, unlike federal court judges under Article III of the Constitution do not have life tenure.) The reprimandbarred Suttles from working from home or requesting a job transfer for canada goose outlet mall one year, according to the complaint. buy canada goose jacket cheap

Suttles canada goose uk site claims the action was retaliatory. canada goose outlet online He canada goose outlet houston reported the episode to an Equal Employment Opportunity counselor, alleging the agency violated his First Amendmentright to free https://www.getcanadagooseoutlet.com exercise ofreligion, as well as his rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on several factors, including religion.

Canada Goose Outlet According to the complaint, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will notfinish its initial review of his case until mid March. In the meantime, the deadline for Suttles to watch the video has lapsed. The judge said canada goose factory outlet the agency "has made it quite evident that it does not intend to wait" to discipline him. Canada Goose Outlet

canada goose clearance sale Suttlessays he will suffer "irreparable harm" unless the court prevents the agency from disciplining him or forcing him to watch the video. canada goose clearance sale

Though canada goose outlet parka his complaint describes a "sterling work record," Suttles was criticized and investigated by the SSA canada goose vest outlet in 2015 after he scoffed at a Gulf War veteran's post traumatic stress disorder during a disability benefits hearing. Suttles questioned whether the veteran, a 44 year old who served as a fueler on an aircraft carrier, had experienced true trauma during canada goose outlet toronto the war.

canada goose deals "I mean, canada goose outlet winnipeg hey, you were in the Navy. You weren't even fighting on the canada goose outlet winnipeg address ground," Suttles told him, according to the Austin American Statesman. "To me it would have been exciting. What do you mean stressful?" canada goose deals.