LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A federal lawsuit alleges that a Nebraska-based company didn't hire an Oklahoma man because of his religious beliefs.

The Lincoln Journal Star says (http://bit.ly/KF2SaN) the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, Okla.

It says Voss Lighting, of Lincoln, violated federal law by refusing to hire Edward Wolfe at its Tulsa location. The EEOC says Wolfe was a qualified applicant.

An EEOC release says Voss Lighting "appears to have a corporate culture that requires employees adhere to certain religious beliefs that have absolutely no bearing on the business of selling lighting products."

Company Vice President Steve Sanderson told the Journal Star that the company denied the allegation. He says the person hired was more qualified than Wolfe.