California residents may have heard about an NFL cheerleader alleging that she was discriminated against by her employer. The woman worked for the Miami Dolphins for three seasons until 2017, and she specifically alleged that the discrimination was based on her gender and religious faith. She said in her complaint to the Florida Commission on Human Relations that the harassment created a hostile working environment.
The former cheerleader said that one incident involved a social media page on which she posted a picture of herself being baptized. That led to questions from team officials, and it also resulted in team officials saying that she shouldn’t be open about virginity. In her complaint, the woman says that this was an example of different standards between players and cheerleaders in regards to social media use or expressions of faith.
Both the NFL and the Miami Dolphins made statements saying that everyone has the right to a workplace free from harassment or discrimination. The Dolphins said that they do not discriminate against their employees based on religion or gender. The employee in this case is being represented by the same attorney for a New Orleans Saints cheerleader also pursuing a similar case against that team. That woman has filed a complaint with the EEOC for gender discrimination.
Employees who are not allowed to talk about their faith or express it in a reasonable manner may be victims of religious discrimination within the workplace. Individuals who are denied promotions or otherwise treated poorly at work because of these views could be the victims of a hostile working environment. An attorney may be helpful in pursuing a complaint with the EEOC or in taking other legal action.
