Image source: screengrab via WXIX-TV
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Four Simple Words Got Her Fired. But Was She Preaching or Just Being Pleasant?
July 05, 2014
"I don't think there's any better kind of day you can have than a blessed day."
Did a case of common courtesy get this Kentucky woman fired?
Or was she inappropriately preaching Christianity in a bank?
"I say 'Have a blessed day' all of the time," Polly Neace told WXIX-TV. "I don't think there's any better kind of day you can have than a blessed day."
But saying those words to customers at U.S. Bank, where she was until recently a teller, was among the actions that got Neace fired.
Now she's filed a lawsuit against the bank.
Image source: screengrab via WXIX-TV
The chain of events that led to Neace's firing started in March 2011, when she was reprimanded after customers allegedly complained about Neace saying, "Have a blessed day."
According to the written warning Neace received, another incident troubled the bank: Neace had asked a customer, "Did you take the Lord's name in vain?" and then talked about salvation.
The final straw apparently came after Neace complained about a situation at the bank and told a manager — jokingly, she said — that she might as well go back to saying, "Have a blessed day" and be fired.
U.S. Bank canned her the next day.
Neace's lawsuit against the company alleges that she was discriminated against for her religious beliefs.
In a statement, U.S. Bank said the Neace's lawsuit is "without merit," WXIX-TV reported.
"At U.S. Bank, we hold our employees to high ethical standards when interacting with customers and co-workers, and take violations of these standards seriously," the bank's statement said. "While we cannot provide comment on pending litigation, we believe that this lawsuit is without merit and believe the facts presented in future legal proceedings will justify our actions."
This story has been updated.
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Follow Zach Noble (@thezachnoble) on Twitter
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