As AFN recently reported, lifeguard Captain Jeffrey Little became a target when he refused to comply with the Los Angeles County Fire Department's instruction that he raise the "Progress Pride Flag" for the remainder of June.
Little is a Christian who says that would violate his sincerely and deeply held beliefs.
Paul Jonna, special counsel for the Thomas More Society and partner at LiMandri and Jonna LLP, says their lawsuit has made some progress.
"In response to our lawsuit, after months of stonewalling Captain Little, they finally started taking steps in the right direction, trying to accommodate him," Jonna reports. "They provided him with a partial accommodation for the month of June."
Several of the locations at which Little is stationed will not be flying the pride flag, and he will be allowed to switch shifts with a colleague when assigned to a station where the flag has been raised.
"It's not a long-term accommodation," the attorney notes. "They're still insisting that Captain Little direct his subordinates to comply with the mandate and order them to comply and enforce compliance, and that's not acceptable to him."
Also, since this is not a standing exemption and the request would have to be renewed every year, Jonna says it is not a long-term, workable solution.
"So, we're going to continue with our federal lawsuit, ask the court for a preliminary injunction in due course," he relays. "For now, he has some temporary reprieve, and he doesn't have to worry about violating his faith to keep his job this June. But the case will go on."
Jonna's team has been told there could be hundreds or thousands of LA County employees who want similar accommodations, and there is talk of large protests and walkouts planned by folks who just will not comply with this edict and who are looking up to Captain Little right now.
"It's Captain Little's view that he's pushing this issue not just for him, but for all of those people as well," the attorney says.
