Palma said she was told she was fired after raising concerns during a meeting in late June. She left the company in early July and is now being represented by First Liberty Institute, which advocates on behalf of religious freedoms.
In a statement, Legacy Community Health spokesman Kevin Nix said “we dispute the allegations made in the EEOC filing by Karen Palma and are reviewing her personnel file.”
“Legacy’s mission is to serve the health care needs of our community, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay and without judgment,” the statement said. “We also respect and value diversity in our staff, which extends to matters of faith.”
Amy Leonard, vice president of public health services, said in a June 29 email to Palma that “sometimes employees may need to put aside their own personal beliefs or views to meet the job requirements.” Palma’s job responsibilities, Leonard wrote, included not just playing a video, but also openly discussing family planning practices with patients.
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