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Large Number of San Diego Employees Opt Out of Performing Gay Marriages

By Howard M. Friedman

When San Diego County Clerk Greg Smith told employees last month that he would accommodate those who had religious objections to performing gay marriages (see prior posting), he did not expect the response he received. According to yesterday's San Diego Union-Tribune, at least 14 employees have raised religious objections. Smith says that keeping that many employees in their current jobs, but excusing them from performing gay marriages, would "unfairly burden other employees and would directly compromise the services we provide to the public." So Smith told objecting employees that they would have to seek reassignment to a different job in the county. This has led some of the employees to withdraw their objections.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 20, 2008 (boomark / email).