LEXINGTON, Ky. _ A former desk clerk at a Hazard, Ky., motel claims in a lawsuit that he was forced to quit after the manager subjected him to questions about his religious beliefs and sexual practices and said he would have to go through a process similar to an exorcism.
Jason Fields, of Leslie County, said in the complaint that he started work at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Hazard in June 2016, working the front desk on the second shift from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The manager, Sharon Lindon, found out Fields was going through a divorce and told him the reason for problems in his marriage was that he had demons, Fields said in the lawsuit.
Lindon allegedly told Fields she was a member of a church in Hazard and that if he was going to work for her, he would have to be cleansed.
Lindon said she'd been cleansed three or four times, describing the process as similar to an exorcism, Fields claimed in the lawsuit.
Lindon allegedly gave Fields a packet that included nine pages of questions and demanded that he answer them.
The questions included information on his church background, whether he'd been baptized as a child, his view of Jesus and details on his prayer life.
But the questions also veered into Fields' sex life and other areas, the lawsuit said, including whether he'd ever had psychiatric counseling or been in a cult and if he'd ever made a pact with the devil.
Other questions included whether he had lustful thoughts; whether he'd ever committed rape or incest or slept with a prostitute; and if he had taken part in oral or anal sex, had homosexual desires, fantasized about sex with an animal, wanted to have sex with a child or been attracted to pornography.
The questionnaire also asked if Fields or his parents or grandparents had been in any cults, listing as examples the Christian Science, Jehovah's Witness and Mormon churches, as well as Buddhism and Islam.
Fields was told once he had completed the questionnaire he would have to meet Lindon at her church and go through the cleansing, the lawsuit said.
Fields said he didn't want to fill out the questions and didn't at first, but finally did in order to keep his job after Lindon repeatedly questioned him about it.
However, Fields did not give Lindon the completed form, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint alleged that after Fields refused to turn over the form and take part in a cleansing, his hours were changed to third shift, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.; his duties were changed; he wasn't allowed to take his days off; his job was threatened; and he didn't get a raise.
Lindon also brought members of her church to the motel and had Lindon go to the lobby for them to pray for him in front of guests, embarrassing him, the lawsuit said.
Fields wanted to speak to the owners of the motel, but was told if he did he would be fired. The lawsuit didn't say who told him that.
Fields ultimately had to quit because of the harassment and discrimination, the lawsuit said.
The complaint charged that Fields was subjected to religious discrimination, forced to work in a hostile environment, humiliated and that he lost wages.
The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages and attorney fees.
Cheryl U. Lewis, an attorney in Hyden who handles employment cases, filed the lawsuit for Fields against Lindon, the hotel and Employee Resource Group LLC in Hazard, the company listed on employees' paychecks.
Lindon was not available for comment at the hotel Thursday afternoon.
In a statement, Employee Resource Group said it had only learned of the lawsuit Wednesday and plans a thorough investigation of the accusations.
"As a company, we oppose all types of discrimination and await our opportunity to discuss our side," the statement said.
