Can a boss fire an employee he finds attractive because he and his wife, fairly or not, see her as a threat to their marriage? 

Yes, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday. 

"The question we must answer is ... whether an employee who has not engaged in flirtatious conduct may be lawfully terminated simply because the boss views the employee as an irresistible attraction," Justice Edward M. Mansfield wrote for the all-male high court. 

Such firings may not be fair, but they do not constitute unlawful discrimination under the Iowa Civil Rights Act, the decision read, siding with a lower court. 

An attorney for Melissa Nelson, the fired employee, said the decision was wrong. 

"We are appalled by the court's ruling and its failure to understand the nature of gender bias," said Paige Fiedler, the attorney. "For the seven men on the Iowa Supreme Court not to 'get it' is shocking and disheartening. It underscores the need for judges on the bench to be diverse in terms of their gender, race and life experiences." 

Read the court's decision (PDF) 

The case concerns her client's employment as a dental assistant. Nelson worked for James Knight in 1999 and stayed for more than 10 years at the Fort Dodge business. 

Toward the end of her employment, Knight complained to Nelson her clothing was tight and "distracting," the decision read. She denied her clothes were inappropriate. 

At one point, Knight told Nelson that "if she saw his pants bulging, she would know her clothing was too revealing," the decision read. 
Were there any women on the bench?
seven men