By Terry Miller for the Pasadena Independent
Dr. Eric Walsh. Photo by Terry Miller. – Beacon Media News.
Last week, Liberty Institute and Parks, Chesin & Walbert, attorneys for Dr. Eric Walsh filed an official charge of discrimination with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The embattled former Pasadena Health Dept. head is suing Georgia Department of Health which offered Dr. Walsh a job in May, which he accepted. After publicly announcing his selection, top officials suddenly reversed course after learning about sermons Dr. Walsh gave in church in Pasadena.
Public outcry led to Walsh’s demise in Pasadena . Despite being put on paid administrative leave here in Pasadena due to seriously questionable comments, he applied for a job with the Georgia Health Dept , Eric Walsh received a $96,144.36 settlement. This all on top of the fact he failed to disclose that he earned money from another source: i.e. The church where was an associate pastor. He later disclosed that income when the omission was pointed out to him. The error was on Form 700, not employment, and when the omission was pointed out, he did file an amended Form 700 to disclose-which you are allowed to do, according to city officials.
In addition, Dr. Walsh received, like any employee who leaves, a final check for accrued leave, vacation, the final pay cycle, etc., to close out his payroll accounts. That amount was $19,336.11.
These settlement figures are “gross” amounts not “net” and are subject to deductions & withholding for federal and state taxes, CalPers, etc.
The terms of Walsh’s settlement and exit agreement left no legal stone unturned and opportunity for Walsh to sue anyone in Pasadena for discrimination is not an option. However, in Georgia, it is a completely different case.
“No one should be fired for simply expressing his religious beliefs. People of faith – no person for that matter – should be required to choose between their job and their religious beliefs,” said Andrew Coffman, partner in the law firm of Parks, Chesin & Walbert (www.pcwlawfirm.com). “Firing an employee for expressing his religious beliefs is a violation of both The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the United States Constitution, especially when that expression takes place at church.”
The press release issued by his attorneys stated “Dr. Walsh, has now been effectively blacklisted by Georgia because of religious messages he gave as a lay minister. According to the Charge of Discrimination filed today with the EEOC, at the time Georgia offered him employment, Dr. Walsh was the focus of California activists dissatisfied with his selection as a speaker at the graduation ceremony for Pasadena City College. A mean-spirited campaign that intentionally twisted Dr. Walsh’s religious beliefs not only removed him as the commencement speaker, it ultimately resulted in his forced resignation as the Director of Public Health for the City of Pasadena.”
“This kind of intolerance has no place in today’s workforce,” stated Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for Liberty Institute. “People of faith ought to be respected at work, not fired for expressing their religious beliefs. If there is anywhere religious views should be held sacred, it is in the sanctuary of the Church.”
The EEOC will now begin its investigation of Dr. Walsh’s charges of religious discrimination and retaliation. Should the EEOC agree that the Georgia Department of Health is guilty of religious discrimination, Dr. Walsh may seek broad relief, including back pay, front pay, and other significant damages for the unlawful conduct of Dr. Walsh’s on-time employer.
Source Beacon Media News