Aviation Concepts settles lawsuit in Jehovah's Witness case

A local air ambulance company that was sued for allegedly demanding a Jehovah’s Witness raise a flag has agreed to pay a $51,000 to the former employee.

Aviation Concepts Inc., which discontinued its “CareJet” air ambulance services last year, has agreed to the settlement in the District Court of Guam.

The settlement also requires the company to follow the procedural mandates of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission set forth in a consent degree, like appointing an equal opportunity consultant. The consent decree and settlement won’t be final until approved by a federal judge.

The EEOC sued Aviation Concepts last October on behalf of Armando Perez, who worked as a as a mechanic at the company until June 2010.

According to the lawsuit, Perez was allegedly fired last summer after he refused to raise American and Guam flags outside of the Aviation Concepts office in Barrigada. Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden from raising flags, which is deemed as sacrilegious because it demonstrates allegiance to a symbol of government. In a response, Aviation Concepts denied any discrimination.

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