Georgia pays Dr. Eric Walsh $225,000
to settle religious discrimination lawsuit
Atlanta, Ga. – Today, First Liberty Institute
announces they reached a settlement agreement between the State of Georgia and
First Liberty’s client, Dr. Eric Walsh. The State of Georgia agreed to pay
$225,000 to settle Dr. Walsh’s religious discrimination lawsuit.
“I am grateful this trial
has finally ended,” Dr. Eric Walsh says. “It’s been a long, difficult journey,
but it’s worth it to have my name cleared and to ensure that all Georgia
government employees know they have religious liberty.”
“This is a clear and
resounding victory for religious freedom,” Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for First
Liberty Institute and counsel for Dr. Walsh, says. “We always knew the law was
on our side, so we are pleased the State of Georgia agreed to settle this case
and clear Dr. Walsh’s good name.”
Dr. Walsh, a lay
minister and former Georgia government employee, filed a lawsuit against the
Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) after evidenced surfaced that he had
been fired because of his religious beliefs.
In May 2014, Walsh accepted a position as a District Health Director with the
DPH. A week later, a DPH official asked him to submit copies of sermons he had
previously preached as a lay minister with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The day after Dr. Walsh provided his sermons to the state, the DPH terminated
Dr. Walsh. In April 2016, First Liberty Institute, along with Atlanta
law firm Parks, Chesin & Walbert, filed a lawsuit against the DPH on behalf
of Dr. Walsh, charging the DPH with religious discrimination.
“We are grateful that
the State of Georgia agreed to settle the case and acknowledge the right of
their employees to express their religious beliefs,” Dys says. “No one should
be fired for simply expressing his religious beliefs.”
About First Liberty
Institute: First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the
nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all
Americans.
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