Last week, a worker at a Home Depot Okeechobee, Florida was fired for wearing a button during working hours that read "One Nation Under God" and sported an American Flag. (See
article in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel)
At least that's what he would like for you to think.
Home Depot employees wear orange vests. The company gives buttons to employees to wear that feature Home Depot products and services. There is a specific and clear company policy that bars all employees from wearing non-company sponsored buttons.
The ex-employee claims he wore the button for a year, that a supervisor commented favorably about it, and implies that it didn't become a problem until he started reading his Bible during his lunch break. The incident has all the elements to get people riled up: God, country and flag.
The bottom line is, this individual is wrong, and it saddens me that he is wrapping himself in the flag and the Bible while asking for special treatment.
Yes, it's true! Christians do have the right to express their religious belief in the workplace. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 lists religious expression as protected speech. However, employers such as Home Depot also have rights. They have a right to control the work environment and insure that business continues unimpeded.
In the years since 1964, a body of case law has developed specifically concerning personal religious expression in the workplace, and that defines the balance between employee and employer rights in that area. (Find more information at
The Christian Law Association,
American Center for Law and Justice, and
First Amendment Center).
Simply put, Home Depot's button policy is not discriminatory. No one can wear personal buttons - NO ONE. When a policy is applied equally, there is no discrimination. If Home Depot did allow employees to wear personal buttons, and this employee was told he couldn't wear a religious button, THAT would be discrimination. What this employee is asking for is to be a special exception. Here is his most telling admission:
"I want to be a voice for the rest of the Christians and for the citizens of this country to stand up for the country. You know, quit being told to sit down. Say what you want to say and don't be afraid of the consequences." It's obvious to me that he planned this confrontation from the beginning, knowing exactly what the consequences would be.
Maybe God wanted him at Home Depot to minister to his fellow employees. Instead he chose to make himself a media celebrity. What a shame. He does not speak for me, as a Christian and a citizen of this country.
