Fired for going to church- PA

[firedbeliever]

Pennsylvania PA

Yesterday I was terminated by my employer because I refused to pick up someone elses shift because I was going to be attending choir practice at my church during that time. I have been a group exercise instructor at this fitness center for 8 years. I have a set schedule of classes I am expected to teach every week, this particular time-slot not being one of them. After several rude comments have been made to me about how stupid it is that I prioritize church over other things, I decided to stand my ground on this issue.

Is this legal?

 

[justalayman]

do you mean is it legal for them to fire you because you felt it more important to attend choir practice?

yes, it is.

 

[Antigone*]

Pennsylvania PA

Yesterday I was terminated by my employer because I refused to pick up someone elses shift because I was going to be attending choir practice at my church during that time. I have been a group exercise instructor at this fitness center for 8 years. I have a set schedule of classes I am expected to teach every week, this particular time-slot not being one of them. After several rude comments have been made to me about how stupid it is that I prioritize church over other things, I decided to stand my ground on this issue.

Is this legal?

Sadly, what your employer did was legal. They didn't fire you because you were going to church, they fired you because of your inavailability.

 

[firedbeliever]

So that means that if a person who works 8-4 every day is asked to come in at 2 am and work a different shift that night, and they are not able to do it that they can legally be fired for it?

 

[Antigone*]

So that means that if a person who works 8-4 every day is asked to come in at 2 am and work a different shift that night, and they are not able to do it that they can legally be fired for it?

Yep

 

[justalayman]

Yep

yep.




that is, unless you have a contract that states your only working hours are that 8-4 shift. Did you have such a contract?


If not, they did not need a reason to fire you and as long as the reason they did fire you was not being one of the protected classes (race, religion, etc), it was legal.

 

[cbg]

I have a question. Was this a one-time thing, or were you being asked to pick up this shift on a regular basis?