Fired Employee Loses Suit Over Religious Content of His E-Mail Signature Block

In Sioux City, Iowa on Wednesday, a federal trial court jury rejected a claim by plaintiff who had been hired as a psychiatric security specialist that his firing during his probationary period violated his free speech and free exercise rights.  As reported by the Sioux City Journal, plaintiff Michael Mial pointed to the request by his supervisors at a state sex-offender civil commitment unit that he stop using "In Christ" in his personalized signature block on internal e-mails sent to other employees.