Urbana, USA - A former Eastern Illinois University nurse sued the school Wednesday, claiming she was denied promotion to a full-time job because she believes it is morally wrong to dispense emergency contraception.
Andrea Nead is suing the university's board of trustees and its director of nursing. Her lawsuit claiming violations of federal anti-discrimination laws and her constitutional rights was filed in federal court in Urbana, said Frank Manion, an attorney for the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative group founded by Pat Robertson that specializes in constitutional issues.
``The woman just wanted to get a position that she was clearly qualified for. Her credentials are outstanding,'' Manion said.
But when Nead said she could not in good conscience dispense the morning-after pill, Director of Nursing Lynette Drake quickly ended the interview, Manion said. Another nurse who did not object to the morning-after pill got the job, he said.
Nead is seeking damages for lost income and benefits, as well as punitive damages against Drake, according to the lawsuit. Her attorneys would not make Nead available for comment Wednesday.
EIU had not yet been served with a copy of the lawsuit Wednesday afternoon, spokeswoman Vicki Woodard said.
``I can say the reason Andrea Nead was not hired was unrelated to dispensing the morning-after pill,'' she said.
If taken within 72 hours of intercourse, the morning-after pill greatly reduces a woman's chance of becoming pregnant. It works by preventing ovulation or fertilization and interfering with implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterus, the medical definition of pregnancy.
But Nead believes life begins at conception and that interfering with implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterine wall is a form of abortion, which is counter to her religious beliefs, according to her complaint.
The lawsuit claims EIU violated Nead's First Amendment right to freedom of religion and expression, her 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the law and federal anti-discrimination laws.
The ACLJ sued the DeKalb County Health Department in 2003 claiming that a department employee was denied a promotion because she did not wish to participate in abortion counseling. That lawsuit was settled for $40,000, ACLJ said.