You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

Oregon Bakery Pays $144,000 After Refusing Service to Same-Sex Couple The bakery owners were found to be in violation of anti-discrimination laws because their bakery was not registered as a religious institution.

By Michal Addady

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on Fortune Magazine

malanis | Foap.com

The owners of an Oregon bakery paid $144,000 in damages after refusing to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple.

Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, refused to sell a wedding cake to Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer when the two were planning the event in 2013. The bakery owners were found to be in violation of anti-discrimination laws because their bakery was not registered as a religious institution, and they were ordered to pay $135,000 due in July. Reuters reports that the couple refused to pay and filed for an appeal, and the damages have been accruing interest since the summer.

In order for the Kleins to continue with their appeal efforts, Oregon law states that they have to either pay the damages or get a bond for the full amount. The couple paid $7,000 earlier this month with money raised through a private collection organized by the Department of Justice, and paid the rest of the $137,000 on Monday.

The case is set to go to the Oregon Court of Appeals next year, and could potentially make its way up to the state's Supreme Court. The labor bureau will hold onto the damages until all appeals are settled.

Michal Addady

Writer at Fortune.com

Michal Addady is a writer for the Fortune website.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

From Tom Brady to Kevin O'Leary – See Who Lost Big in the Wake of the FTX Crypto Collapse

The crash exposed an $8 billion hole in FTX's accounts, leaving investors and customers scrambling to recoup their funds.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg Says This CEO Is the 'Taylor Swift' of Tech

Meta's CEO posed with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Instagram Wednesday.

Business News

This Highly-Debated Piece of Cinematic History Just Sold For Over $700,000 at Auction

The wood panel from "Titanic" is often mistaken as a door. Either way, he couldn't have fit. (Sorry.)

Money & Finance

5 Simple Wealth-Building Tips For This Generation's Forward-Thinkers

Explore practical finance tips for young professionals striving to overcome economic challenges.

Leadership

What We Have to Gain By Talking About Grief and Loss At Work

I lost my husband to cancer during Covid — here's how it changed how I lead at work.