A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| BANK OF AMERICA WORKER FACES RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINAT |
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| Aafreen |
| 10/09/03 at 07:50:38 |
| In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful CAIR-MD ACTION ALERT BANK OF AMERICA WORKER FACES RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION Maryland Muslims seek apology and settlement from banking giant (BETHESDA, MD, 10/8/03) - The Maryland office of the Council on America-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MD) is calling on American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact Bank of America, one of the nation's largest banks, after that company failed to resolve a case of religious discrimination against a female Muslim employee. According to the employee, a co-worker circulated an offensive message on the Bank of America e-mail system. The e-mail claimed "Muslim terrorists are so quick to commit suicide" because they have "no beer, no booze…rags for clothes…you can't shave, your wife can't shave…your bride is picked by someone else. She smells like your donkey, but your donkey has a better disposition." Instead of taking immediate action when informed of the offensive e-mail, Bank of America reportedly told the Muslim employee to ignore the message and then lodged a complaint against her alleging she was trying to get the co-worker who sent the e-mail terminated. Following that incident, the Bank of America workplace allegedly became increasingly hostile for the Muslim employee, to the extent that she had to receive medical attention. She claims co-workers continued to make offensive remarks about her religious and ethnic background. One female manager, after learning that the Muslim employee attended an anti-war rally, said she would have loved to throw a "hand grenade at the protesters if [she] had one in [her] hand." The Muslim employee also says she has been denied requests for Religious accommodation, such as taking time for religious holidays -- a request enjoyed by other Bank of America employees -- and has been denied sick leave. In a statement, CAIR-MD said: "Bank of America enjoys the patronage of Muslim-owned business accounts throughout the United States, and they also enjoy the benefits of large transactions from the Middle East, Malaysia and other parts of the Muslim world. What this young woman has been enduring is unacceptable and should be addressed by upper management at Bank of America. No one should be singled out in the workplace because of their faith or ethnicity." ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be FIRM but POLITE.) 1) Contact Bank of America to demand that they repudiate the bigoted views expressed in the e-mail and resolve this incident to the satisfaction of the Muslim employee. Request that they apologize to the Muslim employee, clarify their policies on religious discrimination in the workplace and institute sensitivity training for the company staff. CONTACT: Mr. Ken Lewis, CEO of Bank of America at 704-386-5687 (FAX: 704-386-4578) or E-MAIL: ken.d.lewis@bankofamerica.com COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org 2) If you or anyone you know holds accounts at Bank of America, please contact CAIR-MD at info@cairmd.org or call 301-986-1900 (leave message). - PLEASE POST, COPY AND DISTRIBUTE - ----- Council on American-Islamic Relations, Maryland (CAIR-MD) 7752 Woodmont Ave. Suite 213 Bethesda MD, 20814 Tel: 301-986-1900 Fax: 301-986-8772 E-Mail: info@cairmd.org URL: http://www.cairmd.org |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |