Lawsuit: Former Bain execs fired employees for not being Mormon

Former executives from Bain Capital, a company founded by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, have been accused of firing six out of seven members of a management team for not belonging to the Mormon church.

David McCurdy and four other co-plaintiffs are suing Sorenson Capital Partners (SCP), Care Holding Co., Care Senior Living, and SCP Care Acquisition because they say the private equity firm fired them from their jobs at Care Senior Living because they were not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), according to Courthouse News Service.

"Despite the promise of 5-years employment, in mid-November 2011, after only 7 months Plaintiffs were told that their employment would be terminated effective February 2012," the lawsuit (PDF), which was filed in federal court in Oregon, states.

"During their tenure with Defendants, Plaintiffs learned that SCP strongly favored hiring, employing, and doing business with other members of the LDS Church," the suit continues. "SCP partners, in particular Curtis Toone and Mike Scott, made comments about religion and questioned the beliefs of Plaintiffs and other employees."

The plaintiffs are asking the court for relief because the "Defendants’ decision to terminate Plaintiffs’ employment was based, at least in part, on Plaintiffs’ non-affiliation with the LDS Church."

The lawsuit also alleges there was discrimination based on the ages of the former employees, who are between 52 and 62 years old.

In addition to attorneys' fees, the plaintiffs are asking for $5.35 million in damages for breach of oral contract and at least another $5 million for "mental and emotional distress."

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