Former Prison Chaplain's Employment Discrimination Claims Rejected

In Askew v. New York State, (ND NY, Feb. 6, 2013), a New York federal district court dismissed employment discrimination and retaliation claims brought by an African-American Protestant minister who worked as the Department of Corrections Protestant Ministerial Program Coordinator. Plaintiff claimed that her supervisors discriminated in favor of the Catholic Coordinator in the manner they approved of meetings and training opportunities, assigned duties, and offered speaking appearances. The court also dismissed her claim that her free speech and free exercise rights were infringed when she was not approved to speak or participate in Protestant faith and community activities in her official capacity.