Woman sues Omaha builder over firing, says boss believed unborn child had ‘negative energy’

Woman sues Omaha homebuilder for discrimination

OMAHA, Neb. — A woman was fired last year by an Omaha homebuilder because the company’s CEO believed her unborn child carried “negative energy,” according to a federal lawsuit.

Jammie Harms, 34, of Lincoln, says in her lawsuit against Hearthstone Homes that she suffered religious, gender and pregnancy discrimination that led to her dismissal last June. She had been chief executive officer John Smith’s executive assistant since April 2008.

Harms said her work environment turned hostile after she announced in March 2009 that she was pregnant, according to the lawsuit filed June 14.

Harms’ filing says Smith and other Hearthstone executives practice “intuitive spirituality” and incorporate their beliefs about reincarnation and energy fields in their business decisions. Smith set up phone consultations with both a psychic and a self-described energy worker because of Harms’ “‘disconnect’ with her fetus,” the filing says.

“Smith explained to the psychic that the plaintiff, since becoming pregnant, had cut her hair shorter, gained 15 to 20 pounds, and then asked the psychic whether or not she had ‘energy’ about his assistant, and whether or not negative energy was being created with the pregnant plaintiff because she had a male boss versus a female boss,” the lawsuit says.

Harms’ attorney, Doug Peterson, declined to comment Wednesday on whether Harms needed counseling or suffered prenatal complications as a result of the work issues. She had a baby boy in September, Peterson said.

A message left Wednesday with Hearthstone, one of Nebraska’s largest homebuilders, was not immediately returned.

Harms has requested a jury trial and is seeking unspecified monetary compensation for lost wages and pain and suffering.

Harms filed a similar complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity and Nebraska Equal Opportunity commissions in August. She was given the go-ahead to file a discrimination lawsuit against Hearthstone this month.

Peterson said Hearthstone Homes had faced a similar lawsuit over religious discrimination in the workplace.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2007 upheld a lower court ruling that Hearthstone discriminated against a Christian employee who was fired for refusing to participate in “Mind Body Energy” sessions. The sessions were meant to “cleanse negative energy” from workers and improve their job performance, according to court documents. A federal jury awarded the worker $1, plus $20,000 in attorneys’ fees.