Birmingham, Alabama - A Pinson woman claims in a discrimination lawsuit that she was fired by a Warrior dentist after she told the "Rick and Bubba" radio show that Scientology was part of her staff training.
In a federal suit filed Tuesday, Cortnie L. Beasley claims Dr. Susan Wells required her to read a book by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology. Beasley says she's a Baptist.
Wells' office said she had patients Friday was not immediately available for comment.
Beasley's suit claims she was asked to sign a staff training waiver allowing her to be trained on the Scientology teachings during work hours. She began working as an insurance billing clerk on Oct. 15, and was fired Oct. 22.
In a call to the radio show, Beasley told the hosts she was Baptist and objected to Scientology views being forced upon her at work, the suit says.
Rick Burgess, one of the radio show hosts, told The Birmingham News for a story Friday that he could not recall the specific incident, but said there have been discussions about Scientology on the show, as well as other religions.
Beasley's suit says the radio show was playing in the dentist office when she got to work and she felt a "coolness" from the staff but began working.
She was fired from the $11.50-an-hour job almost immediately after reporting to work and was told, "This is not working out," the suit says.
The lawsuit, which also claims Beasley was subjected to a hostile environment, seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
