A Michigan dentist who played Christian music in her office and held morning prayer meetings with staff members is facing a lawsuit from four former employees alleging her actions were a form of religious discrimination.
The ex-employees, Nancy Kordus, Sara Bambard, Tammy Kulis, and Kimberly Hinson, are suing Dr. Tina Marshall, and are seeking compensation for damages and lost income due to alleged religious discrimination.
The employees either quit or were fired after objecting to religious practices.
The plaintiffs say that Marshall started morning prayer meetings, which initially were optional, but later became mandatory.
The former employees are also suing Dr. Craig Stasio, who is a leader of a local religious ministry and a registered chiropractor, for helping Marshall restructure her office and employees in 2015.
Marshall's lawyers responded last November, and denied the allegations that she practiced religious discrimination at her office, the Washington Post reported.
"None of the Plaintiffs were forced to discuss or disclose any religious practices of preference as part of their employment," Marshall's response stated.
"It's never been mandatory. And it's never been more than just praying for a great day, that it runs smooth," she was quoted as saying by Clarkston News.
"We believe that when the facts, and not baseless allegations, are presented to a jury, we will establish that this group of former disgruntled employees are simply looking to profit off of their own prejudices towards Dr. Marshall and her Christian faith. Dr. Marshall flatly denies engaging in any discriminatory employment practices," her lawyer Keith Jablonski told the Washington Post.
However, Marshall's former employee Nancy Kordus had a different take on the situation.
"We were all on edge. We were trying to be nice to the patients and do good dental work, but she kept forcing the music and her beliefs on us. Several patients questioned the music, and I turned it off and turned on the TV. So I was 'disobedient,'" Kordus said.
Marshall said playing the music was something she wanted to do at her practice, and was not meant to influence or brainwash anybody. More importantly, it is soothing to many patients.
Kordus further claimed in the complaint that Marshall wanted to play the music all the days of the week for the sake of her faith.
"I told her I did not think it was right to play the music all the time, as we had a wide range of religious beliefs as patients. She told me 'you have to plant the seeds' and the music had to be played 24/7 even if no one was in the building 'to keep the demons out,'" Kordus alleged in a statement.
But Marshall told the Clarkston News that the music was "just to keep God on your mind. It's just soothing to the spirit. I can't tell you how many patients I have come in and just make comments that it is so calm in here. They're like, 'I'm at a dentist office. This is weird.' And we just smile," she said.
"My old staff was great. I wish they would have stayed and liked the music, but it was their choice," Marshall said.
The case is being taken up by the Sixth Circuit Court of Oakland County, where a jury trial is expected to start this summer.
