A Pennsylvania spa worker has filed a federal lawsuit against her employer, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, alleging religious discrimination after she was suspended for refusing to escort a transgender woman to the women’s locker room. The case, brought by 29-year-old part-time spa attendant Jeriah Sellers, raises complex questions at the intersection of faith, workplace policies, and gender identity—an increasingly frequent legal battleground in the United States.
Jeriah Sellers, who describes herself as a devout Christian, contends that her suspension was an act of retaliation for her religious beliefs, while the company maintains that she failed to follow its established procedures for requesting a religious accommodation. The case has attracted wide public attention not only because of its implications for religious freedom in the workplace but also for what it could signal about how businesses navigate gender identity policies in service industries.
The Incident at MeltSpa and the Start of a Legal Dispute
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court, the dispute began on May 28 when Jeriah Sellers’ supervisor at Hershey’s MeltSpa informed her that a transgender client—a “well-known political figure,” as described in court documents—would be visiting the spa that day. Sellers was instructed to escort the client to the women’s locker room as part of her regular duties.
However, she immediately expressed discomfort with the request, telling her supervisor that doing so would violate her religious convictions. Sellers’ attorney, Andrea Shaw, told CBS 21 News that her client made it clear she was not comfortable escorting “a biological man” into a women’s facility, citing both her faith-based beliefs about gender and concerns about the comfort and privacy of other female guests.
Sellers’ supervisor reportedly responded with understanding and told her it would not be an issue, arranging for another employee to assist the guest instead. However, within days of the incident, Sellers was called in by the company’s human resources department and informed that she had violated Hershey’s corporate transgender inclusion policy. She was suspended for one day and issued a disciplinary write-up, which she says was later placed in her employment record.
In her lawsuit, Sellers contends that this disciplinary action constituted unlawful religious discrimination and retaliation, violating her rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating based on religion and requires reasonable accommodation of sincerely held religious beliefs. According to Sellers and her legal team, she had been explicitly told by human resources that she must “leave her religious beliefs at the door” when reporting to work—a statement they claim illustrates the company’s intolerance toward faith-based objections.
Andrea Shaw emphasized that Sellers’ actions were not motivated by hostility toward transgender individuals but by adherence to her faith. “It wasn’t helping a transgender person that violated her faith,” Shaw told PennLive. “It was escorting a biological man into the women’s locker room. That goes against her religious beliefs, which also included her concern for other female guests who might also be uncomfortable having a biological male present.”
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In response, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts released a statement asserting that Sellers had not requested any formal religious accommodation before or during the spa service in question. “No religious accommodation was requested before or during the spa service, and the team member did not indicate she could not assist the guest for religious reasons,” the company said, adding that Sellers had been invited to complete a religious accommodation form afterward but had yet to submit it despite multiple requests.
Faith, Gender Identity, and Corporate Policy: A Collision of Principles
The controversy surrounding Sellers’ suspension has drawn attention to the broader societal and legal tensions between religious rights and gender identity protections. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts’ corporate transgender inclusion policy states that guests may use locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity. The company also provides employees with scripted guidance for handling guest complaints regarding locker room usage, emphasizing respect for all guests and offering privacy alternatives such as private restrooms or changing rooms inside treatment areas.
While such policies are intended to ensure compliance with state and federal anti-discrimination laws, they can sometimes conflict with employees’ personal or religious convictions about gender. For Sellers, her refusal to escort the transgender client was not an act of insubordination but an expression of conscience. “We are just asking for recognition that they violated the law,” her attorney said. “We want confirmation first of all that future accommodations are in line with what she had already asked for and received and it’s clear that they retaliated against her because of her religious beliefs.”
Religious liberty advocates have argued that Sellers’ situation exemplifies how corporate diversity and inclusion initiatives can inadvertently infringe upon employees’ rights of conscience. Under federal law, employers are generally required to accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs unless doing so would create undue hardship. The question in this case will likely center on whether Sellers’ refusal imposed such a hardship or whether Hershey could have easily accommodated her by assigning the task to another worker—something that, according to her version of events, had already occurred.
Hershey, for its part, has maintained that it acted appropriately and that Sellers’ suspension was the result of a clear policy violation rather than religious discrimination. The company said Sellers remains employed and continues to be part of the MeltSpa team, emphasizing its commitment to “serving and employing people from all backgrounds and beliefs” while treating everyone “with the respect and dignity they deserve.”
This balancing act—between respecting individual faith and upholding nondiscrimination policies—is one that employers across the country continue to navigate, particularly in industries like hospitality and personal care where staff frequently interact with clients in gender-sensitive spaces. Courts have increasingly been asked to weigh in on such conflicts, often producing decisions that hinge on the specific facts of each case. Sellers’ lawsuit adds another layer to the ongoing national dialogue about how religious liberty and gender inclusion coexist within modern workplaces.
Legal Implications and the Broader Cultural Debate
Sellers’ lawsuit against Hershey’s MeltSpa will test how courts interpret the boundaries of religious accommodation in the context of gender identity policies. Title VII, as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), protects employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. At the same time, Title VII also protects employees from discrimination based on religion, requiring employers to accommodate religious beliefs where feasible. The collision of these two protections often produces complex and contentious disputes.
Legal analysts note that Sellers’ case could hinge on whether she provided sufficient notice to her employer about her religious objection. Hershey claims that she did not make a formal request for accommodation and that she was repeatedly asked to complete the proper paperwork afterward but did not. Sellers, however, maintains that she made her position known immediately and that the company’s subsequent disciplinary action was retaliatory, not procedural.
If the court finds that Hershey failed to reasonably accommodate her beliefs or that the suspension was retaliatory, the company could face significant penalties, including compensatory and punitive damages. Sellers is seeking lost wages, compensation for emotional distress, and coverage of attorney’s fees, along with formal acknowledgment that her religious rights were violated.
The cultural implications of the case reach beyond the walls of MeltSpa. It arrives at a moment when debates over gender identity, women’s spaces, and religious freedom are intensifying across the United States. Several recent legal disputes have involved similar issues—for example, teachers or healthcare workers disciplined for refusing to use preferred pronouns or provide certain services on religious grounds.
These cases have generated strong opinions on both sides: supporters of employees like Sellers argue that no one should be forced to violate their faith to keep their job, while critics contend that such refusals can result in discrimination against transgender individuals and undermine civil rights protections.
The Hershey case also highlights the challenges facing employers striving to create inclusive environments for both customers and staff. Companies are increasingly developing comprehensive gender identity policies to comply with anti-discrimination laws and to align with evolving social expectations. Yet these policies often raise difficult questions when they intersect with employees’ deeply held beliefs. Legal experts suggest that clearer internal communication, proactive accommodation procedures, and mutual respect are essential to prevent such conflicts from escalating into litigation.
As of now, Sellers continues to work at MeltSpa while her case proceeds. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts has not indicated whether it intends to seek dismissal or settlement. For Sellers and her supporters, the lawsuit represents a stand for religious conscience in the workplace. For the company, it is a defense of its right to enforce uniform policies designed to ensure respect and safety for all guests.
The outcome of the case could influence how businesses across the hospitality and service industries handle similar situations in the future. If the court sides with Sellers, employers may face expanded obligations to accommodate religious objections even when those objections intersect with gender identity policies. If Hershey prevails, companies will likely gain greater latitude to enforce inclusion standards without the threat of costly litigation.
Regardless of the verdict, the case underscores a deeper national divide over how society defines and prioritizes rights in an era of rapidly changing social norms. Hershey’s MeltSpa, known for its luxurious treatments and tranquil atmosphere, has unexpectedly become a focal point in that debate—a reminder that the ongoing struggle to reconcile faith, identity, and equality continues to shape the American workplace in profound ways.