Workers forced by employer to attend 'cult-like' prayer gatherings awarded $50K in lawsuit

Former employees of a North Carolina home repair company say that prayer gatherings at the company, usually led by the company's owner, became "cult-like," The Washington Post reported.

In their lawsuit, Mackenzie Saunders and John McGaha, both non-religious former employees of Aurora Pro Services, say they were retaliated against for attempting to skip out on the gatherings, and ultimately fired.

According to an announcement from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Aurora has agreed to pay McGaha $37,500 and Saunders $12,500 to settle the religious discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.

In an October court filing reviewed by The Post, the company responded to the allegations saying that they prayer gatherings were not mandatory and that McGaha objected to the meetings in a “disruptive” and “uncordial” manner on the day he was fired.

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Part of the settlement will require Aurora to train its employees, including its owner, on anti-discrimination and religious accommodation policies.

“Federal law protects employees from having to choose between their sincerely held religious beliefs and their jobs,” said Melinda C. Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District Office. “Employers who sponsor prayer meetings in the workplace have a legal obligation to accommodate employees whose personal religious beliefs conflict with the company’s practice.”

Read the full report at The Washington Post.