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$24,000 compensation for turban
discrimination
WSN Network
New York: An
American security company has agreed to pay $24,000 as compensation
to a Sikh man who complained that he was discriminated against for
wearing a turban.
Sukhdev Singh
Brar, working in the Texas-based company, moved the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which, in turn, filed an employment
discrimination action against the firm, seeking compensatory and
punitive damages for him.
The company
acknowledged the discriminatory policy and agreed to post
anti-discriminatory notices on all employee bulletin boards and pay
Mr. Brar $24,000, United Sikh, an advocacy group which helped to
settle the case, has said. on Friday.
United Sikh said
it explained to the EEOC the edicts of the Sikh religion on kesh
(long hair) and the turban.
The company has
also agreed on a change in policy with continued Sikh awareness
training, to be provided by United Sikh.
“Sometimes
discrimination that does not stem from direct hostility is
nevertheless unlawful because a business has sought to satisfy
prejudiced preferences projected on its clients,” said Robert Canino,
regional attorney for the EEOC’s Dallas Office.
“This was a
situation in which accommodating the religious observance or
practice presented no hardship to the business objective of
providing private security,” he said.
United Sikhs
Director Gurvinder Singh said, “This victory sends a strong message
that discrimination in any form will not be tolerated, as it tears
into the very fabric of the American being.”
“We thank the
EEOC for its diligence and look forward to this ever-important
partnership to assist many others around the country to fight
employment discrimination,” he added.
28 January 2009
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