There was a turning point in American culture when the Bill of Rights outlined some basic human rights that cannot be ignored or taken away. Although labor is not one of them, a new era has come that recognizes people’s equal access to work based on their qualifications.
When people feel that their rights to work are being denied because of factors like race and gender, a lawsuit for financial damages as well as reinstatement and other possible outcomes may be a way to challenge it. A restaurant chain with its headquarters in west Michigan is facing a lawsuit claiming workplace discrimination based on religion.
The suit claims that a worker was asked to remove her hijab, a head covering that shows modesty in Islam. A manager who questioned this order was fired along with a kitchen worker. Lawyers representing both of them have asserted that upper management had previously told hiring managers not to hire people with hijabs.
Another factor in the lawsuit was a racial side to a restriction at work. The manager was also told to remind black workers not to dye their hair red although no such request was extended regarding white workers. Michigan lawmakers are considering a law that would make discrimination based on hairstyle in the workplace a clear violation.
Anyone who believes they were the victims of workplace discrimination have the right to sue employers and former employers for financial damages as well as other outcomes that could reverse the harm done to careers. An attorney can help people work out whether their situation warrants such a lawsuit.