Nearly a dozen city and utility board employees in the small town of Hildale, Utah, have resigned — at least one citing conflict of religion as the reason.
Hildale, along with Colorado City, Arizona, is home of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).
The employee who resigned for religious reasons said it is against his faith to follow a woman or to work with “apostates." That’s the term used by FLDS church members to describe those who have left or been kicked out of the church.
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Rumors that something like this could happen swirled around the Hildale mayoral and City Council election in November, when for the first time, all those elected were non-church members.
Hildale Mayor Donia Jessop said she respects those who have resigned for holding to what they believe is right, and she is working with a court-appointed monitor to fill the soon-to-be vacant positions.
Hildale was found guilty of religious discrimination in a Justice Department lawsuit in 2016.
