UNIONTOWN, Ohio (WCMH) — A former Ohio Kay Jewelers employee is headed to court after claiming she was fired for speaking against same-sex marriage with a coworker.
Mika Cohen, who worked as assistant manager at a Canton Key Jewelers, argues she faced religious discrimination when she was terminated in August 2023 for sharing her beliefs, according to the November lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Cohen is bringing the case against Sterling Jewelers, a subsidiary of Signet Jewelers that runs more than 2,700 shops under various brands, including Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared.
“[Cohen] holds deep and sincere personal religious beliefs and views that align with scripture that god created men and women, and that marriage is defined in the Bible as between one man and one woman only,” the lawsuit said. “Any sexual activity or identity which takes place outside of this biblical context is contrary to her understanding of biblical teaching.”
Hired as a sales associate in 2018 before being promoted to assistant manager in 2020, Cohen claims she was in the back room of the store during a shift in June 2023 when a coworker started to talk about how much they enjoy LGBTQ+ Pride Month. After being repeatedly asked to give her viewpoint, Cohen “shared her sincerely held religious belief about human sexuality, God’s creation of men and women, and his design for marriage.”
Cohen added that “everyone has a right to their own opinion,” and attempted to disengage the conversation. The lawsuit notes that Cohen’s coworkers and managers were aware that she is a Christian, and that she was open about her faith by “telling customers to have a ‘Blessed Day,’ praying over her food at lunch, and having conversations with other coworkers who are also Christians.”
After the June conversation, Cohen’s lawsuit says the relationship between her and the coworker remained normal, with no apparent hostilities. However, at the end of July, Cohen claims she received a phone call from a Signet internal investigator who informed her that a team member made allegations against her for sharing religious beliefs.
Cohen received an email on Aug. 1 informing her that Signet’s investigation had concluded and its findings would be shared with human resources. The plaintiff was informed a week later by the district manager that she had been terminated because she “admitted to talking about god during a conversation with a co-worker at work,” the suit claims.
Now, Cohen is asking the court to issue an injunction prohibiting Signet from engaging in religious discrimination, along with appropriate backpay, compensation for past and future pecuniary losses, and punitive damages. Signet has yet to file a response.
“In direct violation of its stated commitment to inclusion and diversity, Signet terminated [Cohen] because of her religious beliefs, which it discriminatorily deemed offensive and undesirable,” the suit said. “As a result of Signet’s unlawful discrimination, Plaintiff has suffered irreparable injury, emotional and monetary damages, and has incurred attorneys’ fees and costs.”
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