Marie Jean Pierre, 60, worked as a dishwasher at the Conrad Miami Hotel, which was subsequently purchased by Hilton, for nearly a decade, without missing a day of work. Serving in her modest position with nary a complaint was just part of the gentle old woman’s Christian values.
America has recognized more individual liberties than any other nation in global history. These liberties must be acknowledged and maintained as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others, otherwise, the abuser will face punishment. Sadly, Pierre’s boss had to learn this point the hard way.
Being a devoted Christian missionary, the Haitian-born lady was adamant about following her religious obligations, including attending church every Sunday. While her profession would not enable her to take every weekend off for early service, Pierre would often switch shifts with her coworkers, ensuring that she covered her Sunday morning duties while still maintaining her faith. However, this ended when the hotel recruited new management.
While Pierre had no trouble covering her Sunday hours for the previous seven years, her new supervisor was not pleased with the Christian woman’s weekly absence. The long-serving dishwasher was quickly dismissed for refusing to work on Sundays. Sadly for her ex-employer, the quiet little woman was not going down without a fight.
After bringing a complaint against the Hilton hotel for religious discrimination, the jury awarded Pierre $21 million in damages, $35,000 in lost earnings, and $500,000 for emotional suffering and mental anguish caused by being compelled to work Sundays. The large payout was given to the 60-year-old employee when it was determined that she had been sacked despite appropriately covering her Sunday duties to comply with her faith.
For 7 years, Pierre never asked for anything extra and even took on the duty of hiring someone to cover her shift every Sunday. Her new employer, though, did not feel she had the right to not work on Sundays, despite the fact that she had said that it was part of her religious beliefs.
Despite receiving an unimaginable amount, Pierre has said that she will not be spending her millions anytime soon. According to Brumer, the federal court has a $300,000 ceiling on punitive damages. He did anticipate that Pierre would get at least $500,000 of her due payment.
Yet, Pierre has no intention of taking a luxurious trip to the Bahamas or purchasing a property in an expensive area. In fact, she beamingly said that everything she gets will be donated to children in Haiti, who have a particular place in her heart.
Notwithstanding the verdict, Hilton denied any discrimination against Pierre. The employer says that the dishwasher was given different perks based on how she felt about them. The company says it treated its employees according to federal law, which says that employers must make reasonable accommodations for their employees’ religious beliefs.
Whether or not the $21.5 million judgment is justified for such an occurrence, Pierre’s case demonstrates the link between corporate management and employee rights. We hope that whatever amount she gets from her settlement, she follows through on her vow to spend it to assist people in need.
