"They wouldn't even let me leave early before Shabbat."

Jill Painter files a story about Wade Morris, a former Angeles National Golf Club employee who was banned from the Northern Trust Open qualifier at the course because he has filed a discrimination complaint after the course fired him. It's a bit confusing because the Southern California PGA runs the qualifier, but it appears they are the ones who complied with the course's wish to ban Morris.

This year, he and Hull went through the Southern California PGA to get permission to play at Angeles National, where Morris felt he would have an advantage since he played the course and worked there from 2006-09. Morris said he was told on Friday that he couldn't play because the PGA-sanctioned event would follow the rules of the club. Hull said Angeles National filed paperwork so that Morris couldn't play there.

given the option to play another qualifying event in Southern California. He played at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills. He shot an 80 and didn't advance through qualifying.

The next qualifier is Monday.

The 25-year-old Morris said when he worked at the club he was not given Jewish holidays off or time to attend temple.

"I was a salaried employee and manager as well," Morris said. "I would request time off for holidays, and they wouldn't give it to me.

"They wanted to pay me the same amount, no matter how much I worked. I requested four to five Jewish holidays off and no luck. They wouldn't even let me leave early before Shabbat."

Comments

[Lip Out]

This sounds like a storyline from "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

[thusgone]

looks like he should amend his complaint to add a retaliation claim as well.

[CdeGSA#5256]

Did he take Christian holidays off as well? If so, I have no sympathy. The only ones that I know get both holidays are US diplomatic mission employees that take off both US holidays and host country holidays (B.S. no?).

If he was no wanting to take both holidays, he he may have a point. I have always allowed religious or quasi-religious holiday swapping, nothing wrong with that. Nevertheless, barring him from the qualifier seems petty unless there is a more valid reason.

[Sandy Koufax]

Cry me a river.

[Del the Funk]

@ CdeGSA#5256, so how does one implement your system when "official" holidays center around the "Christian" calendar and then the Jewish holidays are layered on top of this? An example would be the financial industry where there is an official NYSE holiday calendar which does not include any Jewish holidays.

[Michael B]

Sounds like a case of sour grapes on the past employee's part. I would be pretty sure that his work schedule and holidays were explained to him at the time he was hired. Can't say I have heard of too many people who take a job and don't know their hours and the holiday / vacation schedule of the job. The part of the whole thing that makes me lean towards siding with the business (WITHOUT COMPLETE FACTS) is that part about leaving early one day a week. The job hours are what they are. If he needed such an accomodation, he should have negotiateed it BEFORE he took the job. I do want to be clear that the FACTS may prove to be completely different and show that the business was completely in the wrong.

With regards to not letting him play, I see no issue. You sue me, I do not want you on my premesis. I do not see an issue of retaliation there, just good legal sense by the company - don't open themselves up to further problems from an past employee.

[CdeGSA#5256]

Del tF,

I set it up at the beginning of the year with the employee. On the "official" calendar, which in our case was based on the CBOT, they simply traded holidays and worked on back office projects when others were observing "official" holidays. That was how I covered myself with the HR Geheime Staats Polizei.

Cheers from GDL

[Del the Funk]

That's a great plan CdeGSA! If my former firm had such foresight they wouldn't be getting sued right now by one of the orthodox for religious discrimination. Fact is he was lazy, sucked at his job, and should have been canned early on. But they tolerated the behaviour for over a year which implicitly said his antics would be tolerated.

[fatgoalie]

In my world, my staff receive the days off that fit their beliefs (or needs really), so I do fell his faith should be treated no differently
than anyone else.
BUT (there is always a but) I would imagine there was a schedule of holidays when he was hired? If it did not fit his beliefs, why work there?

[K.W.]

Angeles National Golf Club has lots of problems in my opinion. They are not just being sued for religious discrimination, but for discrimination against women, too. There are five or more lawsuits being brought by employees. Most are young, and their parents are hopping mad!

The company is owned by Minoru Itsutani, who is a billionaire from Japan. People who used to work there say Angeles National Golf CLub was run as if the company was in Japan -- not America. They made the employees work overtime without being paid for it, and the employees were expected to stay working until the managers all went home, even if that was 11:00 at night.

The Jewish golfer who is suing was made to work from dawn to dark, most every day of the week. In the summer, that is more than 14 or 15 hours.