The case involves the firing of Melissa Nelson, a former employee of James Knight, a dentist. Nelson was hired by Dr. Knight as a dental assistant about 10 years before the events occurred and Knight admitted that she was a good dental assistant. A year and a half before Nelson was fired, Knight began complaining to Nelson that his clothes were too tight and revealing. About six months before his firing, Nelson and Knight began texting each other, regarding both personal and work-related matters. Some messages between the two were suggestive and sexual, but Nelson says he saw Knight as a father figure/friend and didn't take the messages seriously. Jeanne Knight (Dr. Knight's wife) was also an employee of Dr. Knight's office and discovered the text messages and confronted Knight, telling him to fire Nelson. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Knights consulted a pastor at their church who agreed with the decision to fire Nelson. On January 4, 2010, Knight called Nelson into his office after work and in the presence of a pastor, read from a prepared statement that their relationship had become bad for his family and that it was in their both's best interest . stop working together. Then he gave her a month's severance pay, and Nelson started crying. Knight met with Nelson's husband later that evening to let him know that nothing was going on between them, but he believed that if he didn't fire Nelson an affair would arise. Knight replaced Nelson with another female dental assistant. Nelson filed suit against Dr. Knight in the Webster County (Iowa) District Court on the grounds that Knight discriminated against her on the basis of sex (he would not have fired her if she had been a woman). male) but did not sexually assault her. Knight filed for summary judgment, and the District Court granted the motion in favor of Nelson's employer, James Knight, and she appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court. The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the motion for summary judgment, as Knight's actions did not constitute illegal discrimination. Melissa Nelson claimed that Knight unlawfully discriminated against her by firing her because she was a woman and that he would not have fired her if she was a man. The question is whether or not Knight unlawfully discriminated against Nelson. Examining other cases and the facts of the case will help you understand the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling. Illegal discrimination is the primary focus of the case since that is what Nelson specifically alleged Knight did. Civil rights laws aim for employees to be treated equally regardless of gender. The concurring opinion also addresses at-will employment as it may conflict with a more stringent definition of discrimination because the ability for an employee to be fired at any time without the employer having to show cause is still supported in the our company. Many of the cases mentioned help to declare Nelson's situation completely legal. Nelson's responses to Knight's position are that any discrimination due to the employer's interest in the employee is discrimination, that there was no requirement of misconduct on the part of the employee, and that Knight should not be allowed to fire an employee just because he thought he would sexually harass an employee. relationship with her. Cases like Bender v. Bellows & Bellows and Blackshear v. Interstate Brands Corp went.