Alaska Airlines

Many Americans have concerns over the potential impact of the so-called “Equality Act,” a bill before Congress that would seriously threaten the religious liberty rights of any citizen who dissents to the government’s sexual orthodoxy.  So divisive is the legislation that it has languished for months in the U.S. Senate without the votes to pass.

The Equality Act may never become law, but even before it has received a vote in the U.S. Senate, people are already being fired from their jobs for simply asking questions!Cancel culture is targeting religious employees in corporate America.

In early 2021, Alaska Airlines announced its support for the Equality Act on a company forum, inviting employees to comment.  Flight attendant Lacey Smith posted a question, asking, “As a company, do you think it’s possible to regulate morality?”

In the same forum another flight attendant, Marli Brown, asked, “Does Alaska support: endangering the Church, encouraging suppression of religious freedom, obliterating women rights and parental rights? ….”  She then copied and posted information about the Equality Act that she received from the Heritage Foundation.

Both clients were subsequently investigated, questioned by airline authorities, and fired from their jobs.

In its notice of discharge to Ms. Smith, Alaska Airlines claimed, “Defining gender identity or sexual orientation as a moral issue … is … a discriminatory statement.”  Our other client’s notice of discharge stated that her posting was “hateful,” “offensive,” and “discriminatory.”

Both our clients are firmly committed to equality and diversity and always treating others with kindness and respect. They each simply sought clarification of the airlines’ position on a particular piece of legislation, yet after posting concerns shared by millions of Americans – including many in Congress – they were fired.

In its complaints to the EEOC, First Liberty attorneys state that by firing both flight attendants, “Alaska Airlines discriminated against them on the basis of religion, perpetuated a hostile work environment, failed to grant them a religious accommodation allowing them to express their opinions on the same basis as other protected classes, and retaliated against [them].”

In May 2022, First Liberty Institute filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Marli and Lacey.  Then, In January 2024, First Liberty Institute the Ard Law Group filed a motion for summary judgement.

Court documents revealed the extent of the union’s involvement. Union MEC President reported the flight attendants’ comments to Alaska Airlines leadership. In a company chat among union representatives, one stated, “Can we PLEASE get someone to shut down comments, or put Marli and Lacey in a burlap bag and drop them in a well.” Union representatives repeatedly disparaged the flight attendants, calling them “bigots” and “pukes.” Referring to Lacey, the Union President said, “I hate her.” In addition, Alaska Airlines’ decision to fire Marli and Lacey was in sharp contrast with how it treated allegations of anti-Christian discrimination or harassment. When a flight attendant was accused of anti-Christian “hate speech” and making a “threat of violence” (“Any Christian that thinks like this should have their teeth kicked in!”) on his social media using the Alaska Airlines logo for his social media cover photos, he was given the lowest level of discipline.

Alaska Airlines VP of Inflight testified that an employee’s use of the term “opposite sex” violates the Airlines’ discrimination policy because that implies that there are only two sexes.

“Alaska Airlines ‘canceled’ Lacey and Marli because of their religious beliefs, flagrantly disregarding federal civil rights laws that protect people of faith from discrimination,” said Stephanie Taub, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “It is a blatant violation of state and federal civil rights laws to discriminate against someone in the workplace because of their religious beliefs and expression.  ‘Woke’ corporations like Alaska Airlines think that they do not have to follow the law and can fire employees if they simply don’t like their religious beliefs.”