Judge: Man Fired for 'Anointing Office' Not Discriminated Against

A federal judge has denied the religious discrimination claim of a Miami city employee, who was fired from his job for "anointing the office with oil."

Two years ago Eric Cheeley lost his job at the Miami's Capital Improvements Program after co-workers found cross-shaped oil marks on their desks, walls, doorways and cubicles, according to the Miami News Times.

The employees at the company were deeply disturbed by the incident, worried that it was some workplace threat. One employee even thought the crosses represented the cult Santeria. 

The office was shut down for the duration of the morning as police investigated into the incident.

"[I] was sitting in my cubicle crying; I thought I heard what, in my opinion, God telling me: 'Look, just bless the department... and go on about your business,'" Cheeley later told police. 

He was fired the next day. Cheeley later sued the city for religious discrimination and requested back pay and attorney's fees. 

"For the duration of his almost seven years of employment, Mr. Cheeley was an exemplary employee [and] was never reprimanded in any way, except for the discriminatory termination and retaliation for the expression of his religious beliefs," his complaint stated.

However a U.S. District Judge Robert Scola Jr. ruled in favor of the city, saying that Cheeley failed to prove the city fired him for religious practices rather than vandalism.

"Cheeley's application of the oily substance caused actual damage to his employer's property and disrupted its business," he wrote in his decision. "These facts are undisputed."

Cheeley does have the option to fight the case in state court.