scussion Question Three Due on Day 5 Saturday Note Please do not attempt to look up this case on the Internet I want your initial response and subsequent discussion to based on your own analysis and the textbook I will post the actual opinion in this case at the end of our discussion Peterson was employed in the Boise Idaho office of Hewlett Packard for almost 21 years prior to his termination The parties do not dispute that Peterson s job performance was satisfactory The conflict between Peterson and Hewlett Packard arose when the company began displaying diversity posters in its Boise office as one component of its workplace diversity campaign The first series consisted of five posters each showing a photograph of a Hewlett Packard employee above the caption Black Blonde Old Gay or His panic Posters in the second series included photographs of the same five employees and a description of the featured employee s personal interests as well as the slogan Diversity is Our Strength Peterson describes himself as a devout Christian who believes that homosexual activities violate the commandments contained in the Bible and that he has a duty to expose evil when confronted with sin In response to the posters that read Gay Peterson posted two Biblical scriptures on an overhead bin in his work cubicle The scriptures were printed in a typeface large enough to be visible to co workers customers and others who passed through an adjacent corridor One of Peterson s postings was taken from Corinthians 10 12 The other featured the following passage from Isaiah The shew of their countenance doth witness against them and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not Woe unto their soul For they have rewarded evil unto themselves Isaiah 3 9 Subsequently Peterson posted a third scriptural passage This time he chose the well known and highly controversial pas sage from Leviticus 1 If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman both of them have committed an abomination they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be put upon them Leviticus 20 13 Peterson s direct supervisor removed the scriptural pas sages after consulting her supervisor and determining that they could be offensive to certain employees and that the posting of the verses violated Hewlett Packard s policy prohibiting harassment Throughout the relevant period Hewlett Packard s harassment policy stated as follows Any comments or conduct relating to a person s race gender religion disability age sexual orientation or ethnic background that fail to respect the dignity and feeling sic of the individual are unacceptable Over the course of several days after Peterson posted the Biblical materials he attended a series of meetings with Hewlett Packard managers during which he and they tried to explain to each other their respective positions Peterson explained that he meant the passages to communicate a message condemning gay behavior The scriptural passages he said were intended to be hurtful And the reason they were intended to be hurtful is you cannot have correction unless people are faced with truth Peterson hoped that his gay and lesbian co workers would read the passages repent and be saved In these meetings Peterson also asserted that Hewlett Packard s workplace diversity campaign was an initiative to target heterosexual and fundamentalist Christian employees at Hewlett Packard in general and him in particular Ultimately Peterson and the managers were unable to agree on how to resolve the conflict Peterson proposed that he would remove the offending scriptural passages if Hewlett Packard removed the Gay posters if however Hewlett Packard would not remove the posters he would not remove the pas sages When the managers rejected both options Peterson responded I don t see any way that I can compromise what I am doing that would satisfy both Hewlett Packard and my own conscience He further remonstrated as long as Hewlett Packard is condoning homosexuality I m going to oppose it Peterson was given time off with pay to reconsider his position When he returned to work he again posted the scriptural passages and refused to remove them After further meetings with Hewlett Packard managers Peterson was terminated for insubordination Following receipt of a right to sue notice from the EEOC Peterson filed a complaint alleging religious discrimination in violation of Title VII Title VII makes it unlawful for an employer to discharge any individual because of such individual s religion 42 U S C 2000e 2 a 1 The term religion includes all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employee s religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer s business 42 U S C 2000e 2 What do you think the proper decision should be in this case Why Should Hewlett Packard taken other actions to resolve this matter prior to terminating this long term and satisfactory employee A written response of at least 350 words would be appropriate Re Week Four Discussion Question Three Thread Posted Tue 07 06 2010 06 45 PM by Tammie Wilson Previous Next curtman email phoenix edu Red High Yellow Medium Blue Low No Flag Reply View Print Remove Flag Message Mark as unread This question is complex because it deals with 2 very touchy subjects a person s sexuality and a person s religion both of which are very personal I had a hard time with this one Peterson felt his opinion was right and he was committed to stick by it no matter what Hewlett Packard s idea was Hewlett Packard wouldn t relent on the taking down the poster of Gay diversity Possibly a good compromise would have been to make a poster including people of different religions as part of the diversity inclusion I can understand Hewlett Packard not wanting to take down the poster because of one man because they HP would be opening themselves up to a lawsuit from Gay employees stating they were being discriminated against for being Gay Peterson on the other hand has a right to religious freedom and freedom of speech so the biblical verses if found to be offensive by other employees to me are no different than seeing an opposing ball team I do not like I do not agree but I do not have to participate 3 about the ball teams Hewlett Packard I am sure employees many different religions and I feel like Peterson should have been able to keep the Bible verses up in his cubicle it