TSA Worker Appeals Termination for Refusing to Search Passengers

According to Govexec.com, L.J. Coon claims the agency infringed on his rights by ignoring his religious and personal objections to transfer positions. Coon says that the searches are intrusive and violate his Methodist beliefs.

The New Hampshire worker alleges that his managers met his objections to transfer jobs with sarcasm. One manager suggested that Coon “wear four pairs of gloves” to alleviate his worry about patting down passengers, according to the news service. Coon also claims TSA managers said they reserved the authority to change workers’ job responsibilities at any time.

Cook said he was fired in September 2005 after the agency requested that he resign.

Coon’s appeals attempt has failed four times and he is bringing the suit to the state’s Supreme Court. The court has not decided whether it will hear his appeal.

According to Govexec.com, Arnold Rocklin-Weare, chairman of the New Hampshire Employment Security Appeal Tribunal, said in a December 2005 decision that Coon “cannot claim that there was a substantial change in working conditions [from] when he was first hired, because the generic title he was hired for included both positions.” Coon also waited too long to file his case, failing to “exercise his right of appeal during his job loss process,” the decision stated.