World Institute of Scientology Enterprises - Lawsuits

Lawsuits

A number of firms use the WISE administrative technology in their practices and there have been a number of civil suits and discrimination cases brought by employees objecting to the material with mixed results:

• In 2008, two former employees of Diskeeper, a WISE member, sued the company for being dismissed for refusing to participate in Scientology training courses.
• In 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal lawsuit against dentist K. Mike Dossett of Plano, Texas, on behalf on Dossett's former receptionist, Jessica Uretsky. The suit alleges that Uretsky was pressured to study Scientology during mandatory meetings on her own time, and was told to "increase business by concentrating on her phone to make it ring".
• In 2005, dentist Daniel Stewart and his Smile Savers Dentistry in Baltimore, Maryland were sued by former employee Tammy Bright. She accused her employer of religious discrimination for failure to adapt her religious beliefs to Scientology. Devora Lindeman, Stewart's attorney who is also a Scientologist herself, denied the allegations and said Bright was fired for "poor performance."
• In 2003, three former employees of Aurora, Ohio dentist C. Aydin Cabi asserted in court that Dr. Cabi dismissed them from their jobs for their refusal to take part in Sterling Management's Scientology-based seminars.
• In 2002, The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit on behalf of former employees of dentist Juan Villareal and Harlingen Family Dentistry in Harlingen, Texas who refused to attend Scientology training courses.
• In 1998, dentist Roger N. Carlsten was sued for religious discrimination in the workplace by former employee Susan Morgan, who alleged in court that she was fired for refusing to take a Scientology-filled Hubbard Administrative Technology "statistics" course. A Rhode Island Superior Court jury, however, cleared the dentist of the charges.
• In 1994, Christina M. Goudeau of Baton Rouge, Louisiana filed suit against Landmark Dental Care. Goudeau reported she was fired because she was expected to join the Church of Scientology, and to use Scientology practices and terminology in the office.
• In 1992, two former assistants of dentist Lyn V. Bates filed suit in Canton, Ohio, claiming they "were continually, against their will, subjected to religious recruitment, proselytizing and brainwashing by defendants in fervent attempts to convert them to the Scientology cult." ("Dental assistants say firing result of their rejection of Scientology", by David Knox, Akron Beacon Journal, September 2, 1992)