Lawyer Claims Texas AG Fired Her for Complaint About Christian Holidays

A former lawyer in the Texas Attorney General’s office claims in a lawsuit that she was fired after complaining about sex bias and a policy that showed a preference for Christian holidays.

The plaintiff, Rhonda Pressley, has worked in the office for 18 years, Texas Lawyer reports. She claims her firing was illegal retaliation.

Pressley says all workers in the office get Good Friday off, without having to work another holiday to make up for it, according to the Texas lawyer account. But those who take off for Jewish holidays must use leave or must work on another state holiday. She says the policy violates a Texas law that requires state workers who take off any of three so-called optional holidays—Good Friday, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur—to make up the time.

"I don't want my religion to be less respected than Christianity," Pressley told Texas Lawyer.

She also claimed that her firing came after she voiced concerns that one of her supervisors showed favoritism to male employees, according to the story.

But Pressley’s supervisor, Brenda Heinold, cited other reasons why she requested the firing in a memo obtained by Texas Lawyer under an open records request. Heinold said Pressley sent an inappropriate e-mail to three co-workers and was “disruptive” in the office, threatening in one instance to bring an Uzi to work.

Another co-worker said in a report that Pressley frequently made the Uzi comment, and it was an expression rather than a threat. Pressley told Texas Lawyer the comment was "something half humorous I would say. No one had ever taken it seriously."