Melissa Nelson, the sexy dental assistant who got fired for being too "distracting" to work with, has lost a lawsuit after Iowa Supreme Court justices Friday refused to have her reinstated to her job.
Melissa Nelson, 32, worked with her boss, James Knight, 57, for 10 years and nothing physical ever took place between the two. However, Dr Knight's wife was disturbed when she found out that he and Melissa Nelson had exchanged personal but platonic text messages. She sought advice from her pastor who advised the couple to fire Nelson before she destroyed their marriage.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled 7-0 that bosses can fire employees they see as an "irresistible attraction," even if the employees have not engaged in flirtatious behavior or otherwise done anything wrong.
Such firings may be unfair, but they are not unlawful discrimination under the Iowa Civil Rights Act because they are motivated by feelings and emotions, not gender, Justice Edward Mansfield wrote.
Dr. Knight also said that Melissa Nelson's close were too tight and distracting for him. "Dr. Knight acknowledges that he once told Nelson that if she saw his pants bulging, she would know her clothing was too revealing," court papers say.
But Nelson's attorney said Iowa's all-male high court, one of only a handful in the nation, failed to recognize the discrimination that women see routinely in the workplace, according to the Associated Press.
"These judges sent a message to Iowa women that they don't think men can be held responsible for their sexual desires and that Iowa women are the ones who have to monitor and control their bosses' sexual desires," said attorney Paige Fiedler. "If they get out of hand, then the women can be legally fired for it."
