According to the Iowa Supreme Court, an employer can fire his employee simply because him and his wife see her as a threat to their marriage. In the case of Dental Assistant Melissa Nelson, 32, who was fired because her boss, James Knight thought she was too "irresistible" to work there anymore. CNN reported that Nelson worked for Knight for more than 10 years in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Towards the end of Nelson's employment Knight started to complain her clothes were too tight. Nelson reported that Knight once said that "if she saw his pants bulging, she would know her clothing was too revealing," reported CNN.
"I think it is completely wrong," Nelson said about the ruling to ABC News. "I think it is sending a message that men can do whatever they want in the work force."
On Friday the Iowa State Supreme Court ruled that Knight was within his legal rights when he fired Nelson for being a threat to his marriage.
"We do think the Iowa Supreme Court got it completely right," said Stuart Cochrane, an attorney for James Knight to ABC News. "Our position has always been Mrs. Nelson was never terminated because of her gender, she was terminated because of concerns her behavior was not appropriate in the workplace. She's an attractive lady. Dr. Knight found her behavior and dress to be inappropriate."
Nelson, who is married with two children, was shocked by the ruling and the fact that this was enough of a rationale to get her fired. "I was very surprised after working so many years side by side I didn't have any idea that that would have crossed his mind," she said to ABC News.
Court documents say that Nelson and Knight started exchanging text messages outside of work approximately six months prior to her termination. Nelson said most of the texts were simply about work or mundane personal matter such as their children's activities but Nelson says one time Knight asked her via text, "how often she experienced an orgasm," reports ABC News.
She did not respond to the text but when Knight's wife, Jeanne, who also works with them found out about the text messaging she asked Nelson to fire her. ABC News reported that Nelson said that he "feared he would have an affair with her down the road if he did not fire her."
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