Utah Bath & Body Works manager says she was fired over company's pronoun policy

A former Bath Body Works store manager in Layton Utah declared she was fired after refusing to address a transgender employee by their preferred pronouns Jocelyn Boden filed a charge of discrimination last week with the U S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after she was terminated in May from the company she had worked at for three and a half years Boden a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints revealed in her charge that she was chastised and alienated by co-workers after she was unwilling to address a new transgender employee by their preferred pronouns Boden declared she addressed the biological female co-worker who identified as male by their chosen name but because of her religious convictions could not address the co-worker by male pronouns Ultimately group members complained about Ms Boden s religiously motivated decision to the human support department the filing states This complaint led to an interrogation into Ms Boden s use of pronouns Ms Boden indicated her religious objection to Bath Body Works pronoun plan including during a discussion with her district manager just two days before the district manager terminated Ms Boden s employment WISCONSIN SKI PARK FACES LAWSUIT AFTER ALLEGEDLY FIRING EMPLOYEE FOR SHARING BIBLE VERSES ON SOCIAL MEDIABoden was promptly fired after these complaints were filed without warning and in violation of the company s discipline guidelines according to the filing According to documents in the filing the company discharged Boden for violating their code of conduct which prohibits any unwanted conduct directed at an individual based on their sex which includes sexual orientation gender identity gender expression or transgender status Jocelyn admitted to this behavior and shared with multiple parties that she refused to use correct pronouns As a end of this assessment and her admittance we are making the decision to part avenues and end their employment effective instantly her alleged termination notice states The discrimination charge was filed by Texas-based legal group First Liberty a group that fights religious liberty cases IOWA MAN REPORTEDLY FIRED FOR WEARING BIBLE VERSE T-SHIRTS DURING PRIDE MONTH SETTLES LAWSUITFirst Liberty asserts Bath Body Works' conduct violated Boden s religious rights under Title VII which prohibits employment discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race and sex It also alleged the company violated the Utah Anti-discrimination Act when it retaliated against Boden for expressing her religious beliefs failed to grant her a religious accommodation perpetuated a hostile work climate and wrongfully terminated her employment I believe that using pronouns out of line with this understanding of gender is dishonest Boden noted in the filing to the EEOC My convictions do not allow me to lie by affirming a reality I believe is false Therefore I cannot refer to a female using male pronouns Majority of workplace discrimination suggests have to be processed through the EEOC before they can be resolved in court Stephanie Taub senior counsel for First Liberty communicated CBN News CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREThe EEOC explained Fox News Digital it was prohibited by law from commenting on alleged charges filed A Bath Body Works spokesperson reported Fox News Digital Bath Body Works complies with all laws concerning employment practices As an equal opportunity employer we do not discriminate in our management of our associates on the basis of any protected status Bath Body Works LLC received a tally on providing an inclusive workplace by the Human Rights Campaign in and was named a leader in LGBTQ workplace inclusion