Two atheist and agnostic workers sue North Carolina home repair firm after being FIRED 'for refusing to attend mandatory Christian prayer meetings that lasted up to 45 minutes'
- John McGaha, an atheist, and Mackenzie Saunders, an agnostic, sued Aurora Pro Services for allegedly firing them over their refusal to attend prayer meetings
- The two claimed the Greensboro, North Carolina, company required employees to join prayer circles that lasted up to 45 minutes
- McGaha said that when he asked to be excused from the prayers, boss Oscar Lopez allegedly cut his pay in half and then fired him
- Saunders claimed that when she started to skip out on prayers, her employment was terminated because she was 'not a good fit' for the company
Two workers for a North Carolina contracting company filed a lawsuit alleging they were fired for not attending long, daily mandatory Christian prayer meetings held by their boss.
John McGaha and Mackenzie Saunders claimed Greensboro company, Aurora Pro Services, forced employees to engage in prayer meetings, and when they refused, they were eventually fired, according to the lawsuit.
'Aurora Pro Services created a religiously hostile work environment by requiring Mr. McGaha, an atheist, and Ms. Saunders, an agnostic, to attend daily Christian prayer meetings as a condition of their employment,' the suit states.
'When Mr. McGaha requested to be excused from the daily prayer meetings, Defendant failed to accommodate his religious beliefs (atheist) and retaliated against him by reducing his wages. Defendant ultimately terminated the employment of both Mr. McGaha and Ms. Saunders on the basis of their religious beliefs.'
Aurora Pro Services did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
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The lawsuit, filed through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), claims Aurora Pro Services demanded that employees stand in a circle and pray while the owner, Oscar Lopez, read bible verses.
McGaha, who worked as a construction manager from June 2020 to September 2020, said the prayer meetings would typically last 10 to 15 minutes at first, but by August, the sessions could take up to 45 minutes or more.
Saunders, who worked as a customer service representative from November 2020 to January 2021, claimed Lopez also took attendance at the meetings.
Both fired employees said Lopez would solicit prayers from those in attendance and offer prayers for 'poor performing employees,' who were identified by name in front of their coworkers.
When McGaha asked Lopez to excuse him from the meetings because he's an atheist, Lopez allegedly told him it was in his 'best interest' to attend.
'You have to participate,' Lopez allegedly said. 'If you do not participate, that is okay, you don't have to work here. You are getting paid to be here.'
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McGaha claimed he then saw his wages cut in half, and then days later, after repeating his request, he was fired.
Saunders, who joined the company two months after McGaha was fired, said she grew uncomfortable with the prayer meetings, describing them as 'cult like' when Lopez allegedly required employees to recite prayers in union.
She said she eventually stopped going to the meetings in January, and was fired days later as the boss allegedly told her she simply was 'not a good fit' for the company.
Melinda C. Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC's Charlotte district, said the Aurora Pro Services engaged in unlawful practices as federal laws protect employees from separating their jobs and faith.
'Employers who sponsor prayer meetings in the workplace have a legal obligation to accommodate employees whose personal religious or spiritual views conflict with the company's practice,' she said in a statement on Tuesday.
The EEOC has requested a trial by jury, along with an injection to stop the company from allegedly requiring employees to attend the prayer meetings.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of a former Washington State high school football coach who was removed after praying midfield during a game with students.
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