Colo. Woman Claims Christian University Fired Her for Live-In Boyfriend, Needing Sick Leave
A Christian university in Colorado has been sued by a former employee who claims she was fired because the institution did not want to grant her sick leave for a serious condition. She also believes her former employer took her lifestyle into account, as she had been living with her boyfriend at the time.
Ashlie Simpson, 31, was removed from her position as a student service adviser at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colo., in January, and filed a lawsuit against the school last week.
"I was shocked to learn that CCU was concerned about my personal life, and even more distressed when they chose to fire me because of it," Simpson shared with ABC News. She is suing for lost back pay, front pay, future benefits, personal humiliation, and mental anguish.
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"We believe she was penalized for her lifestyle, mainly living with her boyfriend," expressed her attorney, Elwyn Schaefer. "We had attempted to approach [the university] prior to filing a lawsuit and were told the usual, that our case had no merit and they would defend it vigorously of course."
The lawsuit alleges that Colorado Christian University had long been looking into Simpson's relationships. In June 2010, the former student service adviser brought coffee and donuts with a married male co-worker in the same car, prompting the school's vice president of development to inquire about the specific nature of the relationship between the two – but Simpson insists there was nothing illicit about it.
However, the vice president allegedly spoke with other staff members about her concerns, and in the end warned Simpson that she was a "distraction" to the male co-worker's marriage and that "perception of indiscretion and disregard for the sanctity of Christian marriage" would hinder her career progression at the university.
Colorado Christian University has denied that Simpson's personal life was motivation for her dismissal, insisting instead that it was her job performance that led to her termination of employment.
"As you know, anybody can sue anybody for anything," said Steve Miller, university counsel. "We have an ample record demonstrating that she was let go for purely business reasons because she wasn't doing her job and she has chosen to [file a lawsuit]. That's about all we can say at this point."
Simpson was reportedly diagnosed with a herniated disc, severe muscle strain and degenerative disc disorder in Feb. 2011, but the university was unable to provide her appropriate leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which can provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
Simpson claims that during that same time, she was asked questions about her private life with the boyfriend she was living with, and was told that her lifestyle was "potential grounds for termination."
According to the lawsuit, she went on intermittent leave under the FMLA during March, April and May 2011 as she struggled with her health issues, and when she had to take time off again in Jan. 2012, she met with a human resources director and was told about her termination. Simpson believes her lifestyle and request to take FMLA leave led the university to fire her.
"You're entitled to FMLA for serious health conditions. They retaliated against her for taking FMLA," Schaefer argued.
The university, however, pointed out that the adviser failed to meet her enrollment numbers during the time she took off while on FMLA leave.
