CAIR, Law Firm Welcome EEOC Determinations in Favor of Fired Muslim Cargill Workers in Colorado
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/9/17) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today joined RATHOD | MOHAMEDBHAI law firm in welcoming determinations by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finding reasonable cause that Cargill Meat Solutions and Teamsters Local No. 455 in Colorado violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating and retaliating against Somali-American Muslim employees seeking religious accommodations in December 2015.
CAIR and RATHOD | MOHAMEDBHAI law firm have been defending the workers.
“Cargill’s decision to ban prayer in its Fort Morgan facility came at a heavy price for its Black, Somali, Muslim workforce,” said the employees’ attorneys Qusair Mohamedbhai and Laura Wolf of RATHOD | MOHAMEDBHAI LLC. “These hardworking refugees were reliable, committed, and loyal to Cargill. When Cargill refused to allow them to pray during their breaks, it did so with complete disregard for the destructive impact it would have on their lives.”
“We welcome these determinations and hope they will ultimately lead to justice and compensation for all the workers who have suffered because they were denied their constitutionally-guaranteed right to reasonable religious accommodation in the workplace,” said CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri.
Based on these findings of egregious and widespread violations of federal civil rights law, the EEOC is attempting to set a conciliation between the aggrieved employees, Cargill and the union. The workers are hopeful that, with the EEOC’s assistance, they can help ensure the right of all employees to work without fear of discrimination regardless of race, national origin or religion.
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