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Who was it? “High profile” transgender political figure files lawsuit over employee's refusal to escort him into the women’s locker room. Hershey spa employee sues over suspension for refusing to escort transgender woman

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Hershey spa employee sues over suspension for refusing to escort transgender woman

The employee, who describes herself as a devout Christian, refused to take the customer to a women's locker room.

"'In a federal lawsuit, Jeriah Sellers of Lebanon County claims she was punished by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts for declining to escort a transgender woman to a female locker room.Jeriah Sellers A Lebanon County woman who describes herself as a devout Christian was suspended from work after she refused to escort a transgender woman to a women’s locker room at a spa operated by the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. Middle District court. In her lawsuit, Jeriah Sellers claims she was told to leave her religious beliefs at the door when she came to work at the Melt Spa by Hershey after she told her supervisor that she was uncomfortable escorting the “biological male” to the locker room. The spa customer was not named in the lawsuit but was identified as a “high profile” transgender political figure. Andrea Shaw, a Carlisle-based attorney who is co-counseling in the case with the Independence Law Center, said the actions by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits religious discrimination and requires employers to accommodate workers’ religious practices. “Jeriah informed her supervisor that she was not comfortable doing that, that it violated her faith,” Shaw told PennLive. “And her supervisor quickly said, ‘That’s not a problem. Somebody else would escort this guest to the locker room.” In spite of the immediate accommodation, a few days later, and confirmation by her manager, Shaw said, Sellers was called into a meeting with Hershey’s human resources representatives and was informed that she had violated corporate transgender policy. “She was suspended for that day,” Shaw said. “And she was specifically told that Hershey wanted her to leave her religious beliefs at the door when she comes to work. So real simply, we are just asking for recognition that they violated the law. We want confirmation first of all that future accommodations are in line with what she had already asked for and received and it’s clear that they retaliated against her because of her religious beliefs. That’s why we brought this lawsuit.” In a statement emailed to PennLive, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts challenged the claims made by Sellers. “While we typically do not discuss specific details of individual personnel matters, there are clear differences between what has been reported and what is documented to have occurred,” corporate officials said. “No religious accommodation was requested before or during the spa service, and the team member did not indicate she could not assist the guest for religious reasons. Afterward, we asked the team member — who remains employed — to complete a religious accommodation form so we could better understand her concern. Unfortunately, the form has yet to be submitted despite multiple requests on our part.” The statement said that the iconic entertainment giant is committed to ensuring “every guest feels welcome, comfortable, and safe at our properties.” “We proudly serve and employ people from all backgrounds and beliefs, and we treat everyone with the respect and dignity they deserve.” Sellers has worked at the spa on a part-time basis since August 2023. Shaw said her client was never instructed on the company’s transgender policy that was referenced during the HR meeting. “It was never given to my client,” she said. “In fact, they gave her that policy during that HR meeting, and that was the first time she had seen that policy or had been made aware of that policy.” Asked by PennLive how helping a transgender person violates someone’s religious beliefs, Shaw replied by reframing the question.“ Archived: https://archive.ph/hhKky #MaleSexualDepravity #TransvesticFetishism #YWNBAW #WomanFace #NotYourFetish #GenderBlackFace #NotYourCostume #AGP #Autogynephile #Autogynephilia #PeakTrans #TransCult #GenderAtheist #GenderWooWoo #DropTheT #GetTheLOut #SexIsNotACostume #WomenDontHavePenises #AntiMAP #KeepWomensSpacesSingleSex #SexNotGender #SexMatters #AntiKink #AbolishSissyHypnoPorn