Her 'blessing' prompts threat she'll be fired Religion Today Friday, November 5, 1999 A devout Christian who used to wish everyone a "blessed day" at work has been ordered to stop or be fired. USF Logistics of Indianapolis reprimanded Liz Anderson, an office worker, after a client at Microsoft Corp. objected to her religious greeting in an e-mail, the Indianapolis Star and News said. Anderson, a member of Phillips Temple CME Church, had been told repeatedly to stop the practice. She has stopped now because she knows she could be fired, the newspaper said. "I don't see what's wrong with it," Anderson said. "It's just my way of saying, 'have a nice day.' " Microsoft has insisted that documents be presented in "a professional manner," and that additional religious, personal, or political statements are not welcome, reports said. Anderson's situation is becoming more common in the American workplace, the Star said. The number of religious discrimination complaints filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has risen 29 percent since 1998, to 1,786 annually. Common complaints arise from Christians who were forced to work on Christmas even though other employees had volunteered to fill in for them, Muslim women prohibited from wearing religious head coverings to work, and Jews forbidden to wear yarmulkes. Religious groups of various faiths have supported federal legislation to ensure workplace protections for religious freedoms at work. They back the Religious Workplace Freedom Act, which has failed to pass for the last two years. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is continuing to push for the legislation this year.

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