Woman Fired for Being Too Attractive Gets New Day in Court; Iowa Supreme Court Finds the Case `Irresistible’ (Video)

The woman fired for being too attractive will get another chance at her sex-discrimination lawsuit from the Iowa Supreme Court. The state supreme court, which is made up entirely of men, will reconsider the case of the woman fired for being 'irresistible.”

Dental hygienist Melissa Nelson was fired from her job for being “irresistible” after ten years because the dentist, Dr. James Knight, said she threatened his marriage. The Iowa State Supreme Court ruled that Knight was within his legal rights to fire the “irresistible” woman because the termination was not based on gender. That didn’t rinse with the married mother of two.

Melissa Nelson, the hypnotic hygienist’s lawyer told ABC News "I can tell you she was surprised and delighted by the news that the Iowa Supreme Court has withdrawn its earlier ruling. Not only does this breathe new life into her court case, it eliminates what many of us believed was a harmful legal and misguided precedent."

In a statement, attorney Stu Cochrane, who represents the dentist, said he believes the court will reaffirm its decision because "the law has not changed." He added "Dr. Knight's dismissal of Mrs. Nelson was perfectly legal according to all of the well-established case law not only in Iowa but in every other jurisdiction that has considered similar claims."

Nelson believes that even though the law hasn’t changed, the judges may now interpret it differently.

When the Iowa State Supreme Court ruled that “irresistible” employees can be fired, the decision drew attention across the country and sparked much controversy.

A Des Moines attorney who is not affiliated with the case, Ryan Koopmans, opined that the justices will not hear new evidence in the case but will likely be issuing a new opinion "The only thing that's changed here is the public's reaction to the decision, which was mostly negative. There really is no reason to grant rehearing six months after the decision was made unless someone is seriously considering changing their mind," he said. "I think we'll definitely see at least one opinion in favor of Melissa, the question is whether it is the majority opinion or dissenting opinion."

In 2010, the hypnotizing hygienist was called into a meeting with her religious boss while a pastor was present and read a prepared statement saying that Nelson was being fired. Nelson fired back with a gender discrimination suit.

Court documents showed that Dr. Knight referenced his disbelieve over Nelson's infrequent sex life, saying, "That's like having a Lamborghini in the garage and never driving it."

Nelson and her boss had been exchanging mostly innocuous text messages about work and personal matter involving their families until Nelson received a text message from the dirty dentist asking her "how often she experienced an orgasm." Nelson never responded to the text. The court interpreted that as meaning that she never indicated she was uncomfortable with the question. But when Knight’s wife, Jeanne saw the text, she ordered her husband to fire the attractive assistant. According to Knight’s attorney, the couple consulted the senior pastor and their church who agreed that the woman should be fired to save the marriage.

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