Pagan woman sues Pleasant Hills Panera over religious discrimination

A Clairton woman who worked as a baker at the Pleasant Hills Panera claims that she was discriminated against and ultimately fired because she is Pagan.

Tammy McCoy said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court that she was hired at the Panera on Clairton Boulevard in October 2019. The lawsuit alleges hostile work environment because of religious beliefs, harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

McCoy practices Neopaganism, which the lawsuit described as “a movement by modern people to revive nature-revering/living, pre-Christian religions or other nature-based spiritual paths, frequently also incorporating contemporary liberal values.”

“The plaintiff did not discuss her religion or her religious beliefs at work and viewed her (as well as other individuals’) faith as strictly a private matter,” the lawsuit said.

However, on May 29, while McCoy was outside taking a break, according to the complaint, assistant general manager Kerri Ann Show said she was Christian and then asked McCoy, “what religion are you?”

McCoy, who was surprised by the question but answered because Show was her supervisor, responded, “I’m Pagan,” the lawsuit said.

“Show made a face and immediately said, ‘You’re going to hell,’ ” the lawsuit said.

The general manager, Lori Dubs, who was standing nearby, “vigorously nodded her head in agreement, her facial expression indicating that she was upset with the plaintiff’s disclosure,” the lawsuit said.

McCoy did not want to argue with her supervisors, the complaint continued, and instead, said, “OK,” and walked away.

“The plaintiff hoped that the subject would be dropped and never brought up again,” the lawsuit said.

However, a few days later, McCoy asked Show when the work schedule would be posted. Show answered, “Your hours are being cut until you find God,” the lawsuit said.

McCoy’s schedule that week was reduced to three days. After that, her hours were repeatedly cut, the lawsuit said, including being sent home early on the days she did work.

Over the ensuing weeks, the complaint continued, Dubs and Show subjected McCoy to a hostile work environment, telling her that “her religion is false, that she needs to believe in God, that her soul will be condemned to hell and that they would pray for her soul.”

On June 11, the lawsuit said, McCoy approached the district manager and told her that she was being harassed because of her faith. The district manager downplayed her complaint, the lawsuit said, and said Dubs and Show were joking around.

McCoy asked if she could be transferred to a different location. She said she was denied that option.

“The plaintiff then asked for the phone number of [Panera’s] human resource department,” the lawsuit said. [The district manager] said, ‘If you call HR about this, you’ll be fired on the spot.’ ”

On July 13, McCoy called Panera’s human resources department at the corporate office, the complaint said. She left messages every day, the lawsuit continued, but no one ever called her back.

The week of July 27, the complaint said, the district manager pulled McCoy aside and demanded that she resign.

She also said, “How are those phone calls going for you?”

The lawsuit notes that McCoy’s husband worked at Panera at the same location and was also terminated.

A woman, who identified herself as “Kerri,” and the assistant manager at the Pleasant Hills store said she was not permitted to talk to reporters.

A message left with the corporate office was not immediately returned.