World Vision, with over 40,000 employees supplying Christian aid and relief worldwide, has been given the nod by the U.S. Supreme Court to hire and fire based on religious belief and requiring employees to sign a statement of faith.
-- From "Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Religious Hiring Exemption" by The Associated Press 10/3/11
The Supreme Court has let stand a lower court ruling that found World Vision can fire employees who disagree with its Christian doctrinal statement.
Three fired employees [Sylvia Spencer, Vicki Hulse and Ted Youngberg] sued World Vision in 2007, arguing that the charity's main focus was on relief rather than religious work, so it should not be allowed to hire only fellow believers.
But last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the plaintiffs' claim [in a 2-1 decision] and on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their appeal.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "High court refuses World Vision hiring case" by Hal Bernton, Seattle Times staff reporter 10/3/11
"I am pleased, relieved and gratified with the court's action,' said World Vision's U.S. president, Richard Stearns, in a statement released Monday. "After four years of litigation, we at World Vision U.S. may now put this matter behind us, and continue our policy of hiring only Christians."
Stearns, in his Monday statement, said that this hiring policy is "... vital to the integrity of our mission to serve the poor as followers of Jesus Christ."
The former employees initially signed a statement of faith but then were terminated after they no longer could affirm their beliefs in the deity of Jesus Christ, nor the Trinity.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
