Source: The New York Times
Wire Service: AP
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2008/12/23/us/AP-Happy-Holidays-Firing.html?scp=3&sq=religion&st=nyt
A Christian woman claims she was fired from her job because she greeted callers with ''Merry Christmas,'' but the vacation rental company says it's no Scrooge and the woman is just a disgruntled employee.
Tonia Thomas, 35, said she refused to say ''Happy Holidays'' and was fired, even after offering to use the company's non-holiday greeting. The Panama City woman filed a federal complaint that accuses the company of religious discrimination. She is seeking compensation for lost wages.
''I hold my core Christian values to a high standard and I absolutely refuse to give in on the basis of values. All I wanted was to be able to say 'Merry Christmas' or to acknowledge no holidays,'' she said Tuesday. ''As a Christian, I don't recognize any other holidays.''