Walgreen Co. engaged in religious discrimination by “effectively firing” three Illinois pharmacists who refused to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception, a public-interest group alleged Wednesday in a filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The American Center for Law and Justice, founded by evangelist Pat Robertson, said it filed the complaint with the EEOC on behalf of three pharmacists who were put on unpaid leave Nov. 28 because the drug store chain said they violated a state rule mandating that such prescriptions be filled.