Suit cites religious rights of fired nurse

SALEM -- The Vir-ginia-based Rutherford Institute, which often provides legal assistance in religious freedom cases, has filed suit on behalf of a local nurse who lost her county job due to her deeply held religious belief that life begins at conception.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, charges that Janice Turner’s supervisor at the Marion County Health Department’s Women’s Clinic harassed and retaliated against her for her pro-life views.

It also contends that her supervisor refused to accommodate her religious objections to discussing or promoting abortion procedures with her patients.

Turner, a public health nurse with the health agency from 1990 until July 2001, had early on in her employment expressed her religious opposition to abortion and requested accommodation from having to discuss or promote abortion procedures with her patients.

According to Turner, her initial supervisor accommodated her religious beliefs and allowed her to refer to another nurse those patients wanting to receive emergency contraception through a “morning after pill,” or information about abortion.

But in 1995, a new supervisor was appointed to the women’s clinic who declared herself to be pro-choice and allegedly acted in a manner intolerant of other viewpoints.

Turner claims that this supervisor continually reiterated her distaste for Turner’s pro-life views regarding emergency contraception and repeatedly told her that she “was not a complete nurse.”

Turner says the supervisor later warned her of budget cuts in the agency that could result in her position being eliminated, and that if she wanted another position in the department she would have to be willing to dispense emergency contraception. Shortly thereafter, Turner was notified that her position was to be cut.

The Rutherford Institute filing contends that Turner was discriminated against for her religious beliefs, which is a violation of federal Title VII, the Hill/Burton Conscience Act and Oregon’s conscience clause.