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Summary: A southern Indiana woman refused to process same-sex marriage license applications because of her religious beliefs, resulting in her termination.
Linda Summers was a clerk’s office employee for Harrison County. She has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District for the Southern District of Indiana in New Albany against her employer County Clerk Sally Whitis and the county. Summers is claiming that she gave her boss, Whitis, a hand-written note stating that she could not process licenses for gay couples because it was against her religious beliefs and asked that she not be forced to.
She was accused of insubordination and fired shortly after delivering the letter to Whitis. A mass email had been sent out to all employees from Whitis in October saying they were required by state law to handle marriage license applications regardless of their personal beliefs. At this time, Indiana was one the states involved in the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to not hear petitions on same-sex marriages.
Summers is accusing Whitis of unlawful employment practice since her termination discriminates against her for her religion. This goes against the county policy of not discriminating against anyone because of their color, sex, race, national origin, military status, disability, religion, or any other classification.
She is seeking lost earnings and for the county to modify existing employment practices. Summers had worked at the clerk’s office for around six years. She is a member of the First Capital Christian Church. Summers is represented by Richard Masters from Louisville.
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