Ex-Home Depot Worker to File Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

By Nathan Black|Christian Post Reporter

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A former Home Depot worker plans to sue the American retailer after he was fired for wearing a religious button.

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(Photo: AP Images / WPTV NewsChannel 5)
In this undated photo from video, Trevor Keezer is shown in front of The Home Depot in Okeechobee, Fla. Keezer says he was fired from his job as a cashier at The Home Depot in the rural Florida town because he wore an American flag button that read, 'One nation under God, indivisible.'

Trevor Keezer, who wore a "One nation under God ... indivisible" button for over a year, was let go last week for violating the company's dress code.

"It feels kind of like a punishment, like I was punished for just loving my country," Keezer of Okeechobee, Fla., said, according to The Associated Press.

Since March 2008, Keezer has worn the button to support his brother who was headed for Iraq and to express his Christian faith. But it was when he began bringing his Bible to work to read during his lunch break that his manager confronted him, as reported by WPTV News Channel 5.

The 20-year-old employee, who was saving up for college, was told not to wear the button to work. He was offered other buttons sanctioned by the company, including one that states "United we stand," but Keezer refused them.

"You can't have a country without God," he recalled telling the manager, according to the local news channel.

Home Depot spokesman Craig Fishel explained that the issue is not whether they agree with the message on the button. The dress code states that only company-provided pins and badges can be worn on the work aprons, Fishel said, as reported by AP.

Keezer has hired Palm Beach attorney Kara Skorupa who plans to file a religious discrimination lawsuit next week.

"There’s nothing wrong with having a policy with a dress code," Skorupa told WPTV. "Obviously there are companies that have that and they should have that, but when you use that to punish someone because of their belief system then it becomes something else."

"There are federal and state laws that protect against religious discrimination. It's not like he was out in the aisles preaching to people," she added.

She also noted that the message on Keezer's button was taken straight out of the Pledge of Allegiance which is part of the United States' "historical fabric."

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All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Christian Post or its staff.

AdamTh »

Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:11 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

Companies have the right (and you could say an obligation to shareholders) to develop and enforce dress/appearance codes for employees when those employees are representing the Companies, as long as those policies are enforced fairly and consistently. If an employee refuses to follow those policies the Companies have the right (again, an obligation) to take disciplinary actions (including termination) against the employee. Mr. Keezer CHOSE NOT to follow the Company dress policy. Had he chosen not to follow the Company safety policies, should he be allowed to sue? No.

Airlines typically have policies prohibiting visible tattoos if the employee is in a position where they routinely deal with customers. Should they make an exception if the employee feels the tattoo expresses his/her opinions about religion? No.

I really don’t see this lawsuit as anything more than a sympathy or publicity stunt. And it's a bad one at that.
Maria »

Tue Nov 03, 2009 9:53 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

HD and other corporations that use Christmas to further their sales should be boycotted. Christmas is about Christ's birth and not splurging on gifts. Let corporations suffer and realize the impact a joint Christendom can cause. Atheists and non-Christians can salvage them. As for Trevor's dismissal, HD is liberal with its dress code policy and allows discussion on all other religions. Those working are well aware. Kudos to Trevor for not succumbing.
bobyyyyyyyyyyy »

Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:16 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 3

Flagged as inappropriate. show From a previous comment: "Is there a party line Christians must follow?" Apparently that's true. For example according to the uneducated people who infest this blog, Christians must reject any scientific discovery that conflicts with Genesis. hide
bobyyyyyyyyyyy »

Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:14 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 3

I would have fired this person even if his button said "One Nation under Darwin".

In today's economy anyone who violates company rules can be easily replaced and they deserve to be fired.
bobyyyyyyyyyyy »

Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:11 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 3

"One nation under God"

I prefer "One nation under Canada".
johnzon »

Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:56 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 3

asmath

<< God will force people to give Him thanks >>

LOL. Yeah right, if my dog doesnt give me the proper thanks for a good meal, I beat him into submission...
Bujo »

Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:31 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 2

This is really an open/shut case.

The dude violated the company dress code policy. It doesn't matter if he thinks the policy is wrong, it is what it is! He was "company approved" buttons and turned them down based on his religous beliefs. That's fine he has every right to do that, but the company has every right to fire him after he does.
A.S.Mathew »

Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:21 am Agree: 2 Disagree: 2

In a recent music award show, one devil worshipper prayed to the devil and millions
saw it. None of the people in the audience showed any protest. Had it been a
prayer to God, there might be a fight in the camp. We took God from the court house,
play ground, schools, work place; and substituted with anything worldly. Nobody is
bothered, but Gods is a jealous God, and He will not allow this anti-God rebellion
go any farther. God will force people to give Him thanks in soup kitchens, those days
are very closer than we think.

Where is the ecoomic recovery? The politicians are bluffing the unemplyed people
with false hopes of a u-turn recovery, but more people are out of work, being
laid off every hour. We are faced with the reality today: THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL.
steveh20 »

Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:07 am Agree: 3 Disagree: 0

jar..

How do you know Norman is an atheist? He might be, but do you write that because he is not in support of this guy? Is there a party line Christians must follow? Not aware there was one concerning this issue. Do you know something we don't?
jar1961 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:09 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 2

NORMAN: He was warned during the 2 month period he brought the Bible to work and not one second before that...
jar1961 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:07 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 3

UMMMM I have a question for the atheists around here...esp Norman..... where in the article does it say he was repeatedly warned? Its amazing the nonsense people come up with...

For those who cant think critically... here are the facts:

1. The fella wore the button without reproach for 1 yr
2. It was not until he began bringing a bible to work reading it during lunch hours that he was reprimanded
3. Home Depot new very well he was wearing the button.....
4. They did nothing
5. Until.... he brought a bible to work

Here is what the out come will be: The fella will get a huge settlement. Home Depot weill be found guilty of discrimination and maybe you all should stick to the facts not your wishful desire...

By the way... Sarah of HD is a mouth piece for corporate and is told what to say.....
Belhaven »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:19 pm Agree: 4 Disagree: 0

tpique1,

Do you think that every high court decision made in this country is constitutional, or just the ones that agree with your point of view?
Slacker »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:59 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 4

yeah, Until He brought that pesky bible in and read it on his break, then he was pushing his religious beliefs huh???
Slacker »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:58 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 3

"Thank you Sarah for your post. I'm glad to see that you tried to work with him which is of course the correct thing to do as any good manager would and that your code of practice re uniforms means the all employees are treated fairly and consistently."

If you believe Sarah actually is the manager of this guy, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you. No one would be allowed to talk about pending litigaton, that would be one of the biggest no no's known to mankind. I chuckled when you all responded to her as if she actually had information from the store in which this guy worked, but hey everyone is entiled to their mental disorder...
steveh20 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:10 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 2

Normmmmmm...."Norman" (showing my age there for those who like comedies about bars in Boston) being a Brit, who are Home Dept, anyway?..Thanks

t1, of course he is allowed to love his country, its whats on the inside that counts, not what silly badge somebody wears, or do you think outwards appearance is every thing? Now who was it that said, that its the inside that is important? Something about the mouth and the heart...come on, help me out here.

BW

Steve
Cheisa »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:14 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 2

Sounds like there's a lot he doesn't know, especially about company policy, He doesn't show much concern about what's permitted in his workplace, that's for certain. That happens a lot with employees who have an exaggerated sense of entitlement.

I'm forbidden to wear political buttons where I work. If I wear one and I'm spoken to about it, I should discontinue wearing it. If I continue to wear it and then bring in some literature and bumper stickers to reinforce my opposition to policy, I would face discipline or termination. That's life in the big city. You don't always get your way.

We accept company policy as a condition of employment. If those policies don't meet your personal standards then maybe it's time to seek employment elsewhere instead of wasting money on a lawyer and whining about discrimination.
tpique1 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:10 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 1

Hey Norman, you're entitled to your opinion but um...your assessment is unconstitutional.

In Wilson v. U.S. West Communications, 58 F.3d 1337 (8th Cir. 1995), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, has been found to protect an employee's religious belief to wear a religious button, even at work.
tpique1 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:58 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 2

"It feels kind of like a punishment, like I was punished for just loving my country," Keezer of Okeechobee, Fla., said, according to The Associated Press.

Doesn't he know, he's not allowed to love his country?
Norman »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:05 pm Agree: 4 Disagree: 3

Steve20-nice :-)

jar-no legal precendent-the guy was warned repeatedly during the year-HomeDepot showed extrenme tolerance to his intolerance
It was when he pushed it that he was let go

Bottom line though-who wants to work at Home Depot longer than a year anyway?
steveh20 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:47 pm Agree: 9 Disagree: 3

Flagged as inappropriate. show Most likely they would not have to because the Gay person would be smart enough(like most people are) to understand company policy and would change, unlike this chancer, who gives Our Lord a bad name.. hide
weekenderman »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:30 pm Agree: 6 Disagree: 9

I'm sure if a Home Depot employee wore a Gay Pride button they wouldn't dare fire that person.
Cheisa »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:10 pm Agree: 10 Disagree: 3

It seems to me that a lot of these religious discrimination cases are a result of an employee pushing the envelope to see how far they go with their religious expression in work. Rules are rules and they're for everyone. That someone thinks they are above the rules because their expression is religious is the root of the problem. There is plenty of opportunity for all of us to express our faith every day of our lives. To adhere to company policy for 8 hours is not to much to ask of an employee.

This employee kept his button even when it was brought to his attention that it was a violation. I suspect he wasn't fired for simply bringing a Bible to work. I think the employee was trying to make a point that he was going to keep his button because he's a Christian. Employers will often overlook breaking the rules unless the rule breaker rubs it in or somehow keeps calling attention to it. That's what the Bible reading could appear to be to the manager of an employee who isn't following policy on "religious" grounds.

Home Depot's policy is a valid one because it applies to all unauthorized buttons not issued by the company. And it makes sense. You cn'thave people wearing whatever they want on what is, essentially, their work uniform. What's to prevent others from sporting buttons affirming their belief in Vishnu and Krishna, Allah or the Hale Bop Comet? How about "I have a Puerto Rican Attitude" buttons or those endorsing political candidates? There would be no end to the prohibitions, hence this blanket policy.
cindy444 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:20 am Agree: 9 Disagree: 2

Thank you for the information, Sarah.

If my company has policies set and I actively seek to ignore them, I certainly wouldn't expect to keep my job very long. I don't know why a Christian would feel any differently than a secular person. Just because we're Christians, doesn't mean we're entitled to live by a separate set of policies in our workplaces.

And really, a pin? If I felt I needed to wear a pin to support my Christianity, I would take some time to consider just how strong my faith is.
steveh20 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:14 am Agree: 8 Disagree: 2

Thank you Sarah for your post. I'm glad to see that you tried to work with him which is of course the correct thing to do as any good manager would and that your code of practice re uniforms means the all employees are treated fairly and consistently.
Slacker »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:53 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 5

"Like a lot of things, there is more here than meets the eye. The fact is we don’t fire people for being religious or patriotic. That’s not what we do. "

You may not, but people do, just like they do i every other workplace, discrimination isn't something new, but now that we have hate crimes legislation in place, this type of discrimination shouldn't take place right???
Slacker »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:52 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 5

"The person deserved to be fired.

The Pledge only had that line inserted about 40 years ago so that argument is moot

No case here-where your Go God buttons on your own time-when you're working for someone, you're on their dime"

So since the guy was wearing the button since march of 2008 why wasnt he fired then and not after he started bringing his bible, sounds like the manager didn't use good judgement in firing the guy.
jar1961 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:57 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 4

Ya know what...I have a great idea.. how about over the next week we all visit a local HomeDepot and check out the buttons and see what we all observe... then this discussion will really have meat...
jar1961 »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:55 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 6

Ummm,,, not exactly... it was the presence of the Bible in the workplace that upset the company. The young man wore that button for a year without incident.....

Its important to get the facts correctly or else alot of wasted discussion wil take place.

"Since March 2008, Keezer has worn the button to support his brother who was headed for Iraq and to express his Christian faith. But it was when he began bringing his Bible to work to read during his lunch break that his manager confronted him, as reported by WPTV News Channel 5."

The fact that HomeDepot allowed the fella to wear the button for 1 year will automatically rule in favor for him. Home Depot gave tacit consent by failing for 1 yr to address the issue. This is called a prima facia case of religious discrimination butted by the predicated circumstances under which the button became a secondary work place issue.
HomeDepotSarah »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:53 am Agree: 12 Disagree: 1

Like a lot of things, there is more here than meets the eye. The fact is we don’t fire people for being religious or patriotic. That’s not what we do.

When our store management team noticed that Trevor was wearing his button two months ago, they immediately started working with him on other ways that he could express his patriotism and his religion. He chose instead to keep wearing his non-approved button on his apron.

In this case, the issue isn’t whether or not we agree with the belief on the button. That’s not our place to say. To avoid having to make such a distinction, we have a long-standing policy where only company-provided pins and badges can be worn on our aprons. With 300,000 associates we have to have consistent rules rather than getting into store-by-store debates about what is appropriate.

Sarah, Home Depot Communications
information@homedepot.com
Bujo »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:51 am Agree: 5 Disagree: 1

Jar,

You're the one missing the point. The article says that you can only wear company provided buttons.

It's a stupid reason to get fired in the first place. He knew he wasn't supposed to wear that button. The company it seems gave him a while to take it off. If you have an employee who's being insubordinate you have other real recourse but to fire them.

I would feel bad for the kid but it seems to me he was just being hard-headed and trying to stir something up. Sadly, it's going to be a lose-lose situation for him.
jar1961 »

Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:05 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 7

You will also find out that both Walmart and Home Depot have an anti-Christian effort. Wlamart tried unsuiceessfully to stop employee from saying...Merry Christmas.... then the public outcry forced them to stop their silly efforts... NO doubt management led by atheists... who were once again shown the folly of their ways.
jar1961 »

Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:04 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 7

You are missing the point... the company allows buttons on work attire... many different types of buttons... therefore... they can not discriminate against an employee who wears a button that is acknowledged as part of the nations heritage..

I know you atheists think you are geniuses in trying to work out a plan to remove God from the market place.... This young man will win his case.... there is plenty of legal precendent.
inthebeloved »

Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:32 pm Agree: 4 Disagree: 1

This isn't a case of religious discrimination. Its a situation in which an employee wanted to break the rules which the company has concerning a dress code.
RevShnorrRocks »

Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:55 pm Agree: 27 Disagree: 16

Norman: "The person deserved to be fired."

If not for breaking company rules then for showing incredibly poor judgement. Some are foolish enough to use the court marshaled Gordon Klingenschmitt as a role model.

Hopefully he will lose the lawsuit badly and be forced to pay the other side's legal fees.

Hopefully he will insist on wearing the button to job interviews and because of this nobody will give him a job.

Hopefully he will explain to prospective employers the circumstances under which he thinks it is ethical to sue employers and because of this nobody will give him a job.

Such are the results of poor judgement.

To some putting "God" and "indivisible" in the same sentence is mocking truth.
Norman »

Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:40 pm Agree: 33 Disagree: 23

The person deserved to be fired.

The Pledge only had that line inserted about 40 years ago so that argument is moot

No case here-where your Go God buttons on your own time-when you're working for someone, you're on their dime

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