A federal judge has dismissed claims against the Church of Scientology by a (former?) member who alleges she was forced to work 100-hour weeks for no pay under a billion-year contract for the religion’s elite Sea Organization, according to a report in The Baltimore Sun.
U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer issued a written order saying the plaintiff, Claire Headley, was not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its minimum-wage obligations because she worked for an exempt religious organization.
The Sea Org for which Ms. Headley worked traces its roots to 1967, when church founder L. Ron Hubbard took his most dedicated followers on sea voyages to explore early civilizations and spread his teachings. The group is now land-based and has a membership of about 5,000.
In her lawsuit, Headley also claims the Church of Scientology forces its members to have abortions and engages in forced-labor practices. Those two parts of the lawsuit remain under consideration.
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