A federal appeals court ruled that a lawsuit against Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey by a former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried can go forward.
Caitlin O’Connor sued the Lampo Group, Ramsey’s Franklin, Tennessee-based company, alleging religious discrimination. But the company said O’Connor was fired for violating the company’s ban on premarital sex, and argued that firing was not based on religion.
A federal judge initially agreed with the Lampo Group’s argument but later changed his mind after O’Connor’s lawyers filed a motion to reconsider. On Thursday (June 12), the judge ruled in O’Connor’s favor.
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At issue
At issue is a “righteous living” policy at Lampo, better known as Ramsey Solutions, which requires employees to abide by Christian values. Those values, Ramsey’s company has argued, include banning intercourse outside of marriage. However, the company has declined to fire employees who have admitted other sexual conduct in the past, according to court documents.
The legal question in the case is whether O’Connor was fired for breaking a company rule or for being a bad Christian.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Bob Smietana and originally published by Religion News Service.
