Pro-Life Nurse Suing Family Planning Center That Wouldn't Hire Her

Death and Taxes - Pro-life nurse sues Family Planning Center for not hiring her to not do a job

Sara Hellwege, a pro-life nurse in Tampa, Florida, is suing Tampa Family Health Centers after not being considered for a job just because she said she would not do that job, on account of it violating her religious beliefs. Crazy, I know.

In an email exchange with Chad Lindsey, the human resources director of TFHC, Hellwege was asked about her membership in the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and asked her if her beliefs would prevent her from working there. Hellwege said that while she would be able to “counsel” women about various birth control methods, she would only be able to prescribe barrier methods and sterilization. She then inquired if there were any job openings for antepartum and laborist only.

Mr. Lindsey then informed her that TFHC was a Title X organization, and that there were no jobs currently available that did not require her to prescribe birth control pills. Simple enough.

Or not. Ms. Hellwege is now being represented by the “Alliance Defending Freedom,” who are filing a federal lawsuit on her behalf claiming that she is being discriminated against due to her religious beliefs.

The clinic is a Title X organization which means they provide the full gamut of contraceptive services and counseling. The applicant states that she is a member of AAPLOG and has religious objections to certain birth control methods (emails here).

Seems simple enough, right?

Apparently not since this woman is suing Tampa Family Health Centers for not considering her for a job that she admits she would not be willing to do. It also bears mention that the HR representative states that they do not currently have openings for positions whose duties would not entail a violation of her beliefs.

So why is she suing? Playing the victim?

According to this? We can all bring change to the world by simply applying for the jobs we hate the most and find the most objectionable. When we aren't hired for refusing to do the part of the work we knew we'd hate in advance? We can all sue the employer into ruin.

Sounds like a wonderful approach.

a reply to: theantediluvian

My head hurts thinking about this.

Ms. Hellwege is extremely ignorant, or extremely greedy... either way she is an obnoxious human being.

That'd be like me trying to get a job at a dentist as a hygienist while stating that I can't stand teeth and will only hand out toothbrushes. If you refuse to do the job you are being interviewed for... why would you expect to be hired?

It's a conflict of interest, it interrupts normal operations.... whatever, the whole thing is stupid.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Good luck with that. I am pro choice which means I believe she is entitled to her own choice. However due to her strong beliefs she should seek employment in a Catholic hospital.

It will get thrown out of court it is that stupid and If she won it would open the floodgates to more stupidity.

I didn't get that saying when Forest Gumps mother said it and I still don't. a reply to: Lysergic

originally posted by: theantediluvian
So why is she suing?

Hey, other people are suing, claiming religious grounds for breaking the law... and winning. Why shouldn't she?

/sarcasm

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

It means that no matter how smart you claim to be, it's your actions that reveal your true intelligence (or lack thereof).

a reply to: MrCynic

Right. To bad there are so few people of conscience that defense contractors will never have to worry about their employees refusing to make more bombs, and mega-banks will never have to worry that their math wizards will refuse to create and endorse new gambling products designed to separate working people from their hard earned money.

originally posted by: AutumnWitch657
I didn't get that saying when Forest Gumps mother said it and I still don't. a reply to: Lysergic

Just because she got an education doesn't mean she isn't full of stupid.

in Forrest's case...?

Just because you look stupid, doesn't mean you are, actions speak louder than words.

Ah, thank you. See I got the one about the box of chocolates easily enough. LOL.a reply to: kaylaluv

I grew up with sayings like "do as I say not as I do" or instead of "God helps those who help themselves" it was" God help those who get caught helping themselves" and finally "I'll give you something to cry about". All of those were easy enough to understand. LOL.a reply to: Lysergic

it's a valid complaint. why can't they hire her to do things like counsel women and other duties that are not contradicted by her beliefs? in reality organisations like this should be required to have people who believe in the right to life working for them especially to counsel woman seeking advice. both sides of the issue should always be equally presented to women on the issue, not just the one side as is done now.

I imagine the idea for this lawsuit was already in place before she even submitted her application.

originally posted by: generik
it's a valid complaint. why can't they hire her to do things like counsel women and other duties that are not contradicted by her beliefs? in reality organisations like this should be required to have people who believe in the right to life working for them especially to counsel woman seeking advice. both sides of the issue should always be equally presented to women on the issue, not just the one side as is done now.

It is NOT a valid complaint. If a company is hiring for a specific position, and that position has a list of specific primary duties -- and an interviewee says that they refuse to complete one of the primary duties, it is that company's right to not hire that person. Period.

What makes you think they don't already counsel women on all their options?

a reply to: generik
Umm....
Because they told her they did not have a position available that fits that description.

No, not valid.
And honestly, makes her seem dumb, or greedy.

originally posted by: generik
it's a valid complaint. why can't they hire her to do things like counsel women and other duties that are not contradicted by her beliefs? in reality organisations like this should be required to have people who believe in the right to life working for them especially to counsel woman seeking advice. both sides of the issue should always be equally presented to women on the issue, not just the one side as is done now.

It's not a question of right to life, it's a question of basic contraception. That's what the job entails, dealing with birth control/contraceptives/stuff that sane people do so that they don't have to worry about the after-effects of having sex. This twit who's suing thinks that she's making a point or something. Yes, she is - she's showing the world that she's an idiot.

originally posted by: generik
it's a valid complaint. why can't they hire her to do things like counsel women and other duties that are not contradicted by her beliefs?

There isn't a job opening for that.

This religious entitlement thing is going right off the deep end.

originally posted by: VegHead
I imagine the idea for this lawsuit was already in place before she even submitted her application.

you're probably right. a nice way to cause some controversy.

it's simple. the job has x,y & z duties to be performed. if you refuse to do X then the next candidate who interviews for the job who is willing to do X ,Y & Z is more qualified for the job. this lady in question literally isn't qualified to perform the entirety of the duties needed for the position. she doesn't deserve the job there. no reason to whine about religious persecution. how bout she just makes like the rest of the entire world and APPLY SOMEWHERE ELSE instead of tying up our legal system with bullsh!t.

that'd be like applying to burger king but saying you can handle any of the product because you're a religious vegetarian. they'd say oh well, that's the job that we're hiring for, the job description is clear. there are plenty of people more than willing to do the FULL job. not, oh we'll make a different position tailored especially to you and your religious beliefs because you refuse to do part of the job otherwise....sheesh