That seems to be what happened, according to this account:
A Virginia Beach TV weatherman has been fired — and the reasons management gave him were all related to his after-hours ministry.
Jon Cash, a 21-year employee of WAVY-TV, appeared on the station’s highly rated morning show, but also traveled as an evangelist preaching at area churches large and small. Earlier this year, management came to him about his ministry — and Cash agreed to some correction.
“[On] August 31 they came to me and apparently had somebody come in and heard me preach and say that I’m planning to eventually give up my television job when my contract was over and pursue full-time ministry because that’s the Lord’s calling,” he recalls. “And I was abruptly fired.”
Cash says WAVY general manager Doug Davis told him that going into full-time ministry was “bad for business.”
The meteorologist and attorneys with the American Center for Law & Justice have filed a religious discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Cash states on his website that he never thought in his “wildest dreams” that he and his family would ever be part of such a complaint.
“I have never been a party to a lawsuit, believing that men and women of good will should resolve their differences directly,” he shares. “I reluctantly begin this process — not for me as an individual, but to vindicate our God-given right to worship as defined in the Constitution and federal law.”
Cash admits to OneNewsNow that he is bewildered by the station’s decision. “Why would they get rid of an employee of 21 years who was bringing them some of the highest ratings in the country — and of course, ratings means money — and the only thing that kept coming back [about my firing], everything listed, related to my ministry as a Christian evangelist?”
There’s also more details here.
posted October 7, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Is he delivering a sermon while he is giving the weather report? Seems like he has a case. What difference does it make if what he is doing is on his own time?
posted October 8, 2010 at 7:56 am
He was discriminated, no question.
posted October 8, 2010 at 8:35 am
Thank God we have civil rights laws that prohibit bosses from firing people based on religion, race and gender.
The Republican Senate candidate in Kentucky said these laws were a mistake. I disagree. Government has a duty to stop employment discrimination.
posted October 8, 2010 at 8:41 am
Reading this article Of course he was discriminated. But
But before hearing both sides of the story how can you decide
whats fact and whats fiction.
posted October 8, 2010 at 9:06 am
Of course both sides need to be heard but let’s change the terms a little. Let’s say that there is a news piece that says that a Gay TV weatherman is also a vocal Gay activist for homosexual rights and gay marriage. Let’s say that the TV bosses go see him at one of his rallies where he vocally advocates Gay rights and announces that in a few months he will retire to be a full time Gay activist. Let’s say that after that he gets fired. Would there be outrage?
posted October 8, 2010 at 10:35 am
Better yet, Rudy. Let’s say he was a leader in his local Mosque, and the station fired him because it was “bad for business.”
Would that even have been mentioned on this blog? Would it still be religious discrimination?
Would you support the station?
posted October 8, 2010 at 11:41 am
“let’s change the terms a little. Let’s say that there is a news piece that says that a Gay TV weatherman …”
Perfectly legal to fire someone in Virginia just for being gay.
posted October 8, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Lets hope in both examples given above, being fired for being gay or because he was a Muslim, it would make news. Katherine, sounds like Virginia needs to do a bit to update their laws!