Reverend Richard Blue is a Christian, ordained Lutheran minister, and a board-certified chaplain. He first began serving as a chaplain in Indiana, working for Odyssey HealthCare, a major U.S. hospice provider acquired by Gentiva Health Services in 2010.
In May 2026, Reverend Blue accepted a transfer to Heartland Hospice in Traverse City, Michigan, in connection with a new pastoral role, moving his family hundreds of miles to serve in these new roles. On June 22, only two days into his new position, his supervisor and a Human Resources representative approached him concerning a “religious post” on his personal Facebook account found by another employee. The post reflected his sincerely held religious beliefs on marriage and sexuality, which the coworker deemed offensive.
A little over two weeks later, Reverend Blue was terminated. When he asked for clarification and the reasons for his termination, Heartland Hospice refused to provide their reasoning and abruptly cut off all communication.
First Liberty Institute filed a charge of discrimination with the EEOC on behalf of Reverend Blue on November 4, 2026. The EEOC can choose whether or not to investigate this matter further.
“Chaplains should not be forced to give up their religious beliefs to do their job,” said Cliff Martin, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “Heartland Hospice cannot single out and terminate an employee for expressing their religious beliefs in their own time and on their own personal social media page.”
News Release
For Immediate Release: 11.11.26
Contact: Natalie Konstans, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Trump Administration Asked to Investigate National Hospice Organization after Chaplain Fired for Religious Social Media Post
First Liberty Institute filed an EEOC charge on behalf of an employee terminated for sharing Christian beliefs on a personal social media account.
Traverse City, MI—First Liberty Institute filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) against Heartland Hospice and parent company, Gentiva Health Services, on behalf of Reverend Richard Blue, a former chaplain at a Michigan hospice center. Heartland Hospice fired Reverend Blue, just days after he began a new transfer position, for expressing his religious beliefs on marriage and sexuality on his personal social media page.
You can read the charge here.
“Chaplains should not be forced to give up their religious beliefs to do their job,” said Cliff Martin, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “Heartland Hospice cannot single out and terminate an employee for expressing their religious beliefs in their own time and on their own personal social media page.”
Reverend Richard Blue is a Christian, ordained Lutheran minister, and a board-certified chaplain. After many years of serving as a chaplain in Indiana, Reverend Blue accepted a transfer to Heartland Hospice in Michigan in May 2026, in connection with a new pastoral role, moving his entire family to serve in these new roles. On June 22, only two days into his new position, his supervisor and a Human Resources representative approached him concerning a “religious post” on his personal Facebook account found by another employee. The post reflected his sincerely held religious beliefs on marriage and sexuality. Just over two weeks later, he was terminated. When he asked for clarification and the reasons for his termination, the employer refused to provide a reason and abruptly ended the phone call. First Liberty Institute filed a charge of discrimination with the EEOC on behalf of Reverend Blue.
The EEOC can choose to launch an investigation into Heartland Hospice’s actions against Reverend Blue.
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact Natalie Konstans at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
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