FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a newly filed lawsuit, a Williamson County man sued Dave Ramsey's business conglomerate in Franklin for the handling of his employment during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawsuit — filed in federal court — focused on interactions that happened during March 2020 to July 2020. During that time, employees were told to come back in May 2020 and weren't supposed to wear masks during mass gatherings in the building. It also circles back to how Ramsey's handling of the pandemic as CEO and through his senior leadership went against the plaintiff — Brad Amos'— religious beliefs.
Senior leadership demoted Amos from senior video editor to assistant editor unless he came to work from the office. Management also removed him from a key project and told to check his humility. Ultimately, leadership terminate for his "lack of humility and failure to submit to (Ramsey's) religious beliefs.
"Upon information and belief, Plaintiff’s wife and son were 'high-risk' potential victims of this virus," his attorney Jonathan Street wrote in the complaint. "Plaintiff had a deep religious devotion to protect the health and safety of his family. As such, Plaintiff exercised extreme caution and made personal measures not to potentially infect his family with this virus. Plaintiff had a deep religious devotion to respect and care for the health and safety of others in his community, to follow the 'golden rule' to do no harm to others."
Instead of a solution, Ramsey Solutions leadership told Amos to "pray and keep moving forward." He was also told prayer was the way to avoid the COVID-19 infection and precautions were a "demonstrated weakness of spirit." Senior leadership also met with Amos to tell him he hadn't been onboarded correctly or as the lawsuit described as "indoctrinated." Those meetings Amos said in the lawsuit were meant punish him and discussed the inner workings of Amos' marriage versus work matters.
"Among those values, plaintiff possesses a religious devotion to maintaining the health, safety, and well being to his children and wife," Street wrote in the complaint. "Additionally, plaintiff’s religious beliefs reflect a respectful treatment for the safety of others and his community."
Amos through his attorney for a court judgment in favor of him along with fall amounts of wages he would have received, front pay, liquidates damages and other relief has awarded by Tennessee law.
After this article published, Ramsey Solutions offered this statement.
Mr. Amos’ lawsuit is filled with false statements and has absolutely no merit. Mr. Amos was fired during a meeting to discuss his poor performance with his leaders, where he insulted his most senior leader. He was not terminated for his religious beliefs or how he wanted to handle COVID. Ramsey Solutions’ stance has always been that we will comply with applicable laws and regulations related to COVID. The company is fully prepared to defend this lawsuit and prevail. It appears its only goal is to smear Ramsey Solutions’ reputation and extort a large settlement.
