Currently there is a boycott being promoted against Bath and Body Works. The popular company is being sued for religious persecution. One of their managers in Connecticut was fired for observing Sahmain. The suit was filed on October 15th of this year.
Sahmain occurs on October 31st and is considered by many Pagans to be the New Year. The plaintiff, Gina Uberti, in this case is Wiccan and had been prior to hiring with this company. Every year for the last six years of her eight year employment, she would take the week of Sahmain off and head to Salem, Massachusetts to celebrate the holiday. Her leave had been approved almost a year prior to the incident.
In 2008, a new manager had been hired into Uberti’s store and had called Uberti to discuss why she was unavailable to her employers during her vacation. She also expressed her disappointment in the fact that Uberti would take a vacation during such a critical time in the company. Uberti informed her manager that the leave was approved almost a full year before. After her manager inquired as to why she would take that particular week off, Uberti disclosed her religious beliefs and explained what she believed and why October 31st was such an important holiday.
Her manager replied, “that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, let me ask you where your priorities should have been?†Uberti asked what was so ridiculous and was told, “Well, you will need a new career in your new year†and “I will be damned if I have a devil-worshipper on my team.†Uberti was fired shortly after the phone call.
Discrimination as blatant as this raised a cry of alarm through the Pagan Community across the country. A popular blogging site, “The Witches Hunt†carries on leg of the boycott request.
Individuals in Sacramento are also boycotting Bath and Body Works. Many Pagans are outraged. Bath and Body Works has been very popular and the Pagan Community is shocked to see such a modern company having such a closed minded view of a portion of their customer base. The Examiner will keep a close watch on this case and report as it unfolds further.
i read the full case, and there is nearly no way she could lose... i mean if you can win a courtcase over spilling coffee on yourself and burning yourself, and stating there is no "caution hot" sign on it then there is no way she cannot win this case.
And if this case is dropped or she loses then i would say that is further discrimination against the people who are wiccans
This is very upsetting. I can't believe that people can be so cruel to others and discriminate against their religion. I hope she wins the case!
There was a similiar case where I'm from. There was this man who played the organ for the christian church during services and he got fired because he was gay. There was a court case which he won in the end.
Oh my goddess... he got fired because he was gay? Yeah... some loving god they got. Those guys aren't even real Christian if they discriminate others because of their religion or sexuality.
Some people are just way to close minded to care about others religions. And the devil worshipping thing is so stupid.How can pagans worship the devil when more than half of us dont even believe inthe devil.
It simply goes to show how little people really know. If she loses the case it will be due to the fact that the individuals at the trial have the same ignorant opinion as her new manager.
Non-Pagans have been raised to believe that all Pagan religions are evil and negative. They have heard it preached to them for so long that they believe nothing else and refuse to think for themselves on the matter.
I pray she wins and that the manager gets what she deserves.
I agree. She should be treated as an individual. A lot of people go against one of the Amendments. What really makes me mad is when people claim they want peace, yet they insult and treat others unequally, because its whether they're stupid or just big fat liars.
