Today, my friend told me the saddest story I ever heard. She had applied for a job and had been pining to get this gig for months. Finally a few months ago they contacted her for an interview. Culturally, she likes to wear a head wrap and has been doing so for as long as I have known her. Plus her boyfriend is Jewish and plans on marrying him and wants to get use to the idea of wearing it everyday. Well she decided that she would be herself and interview for the job as herself, tichel/head covering and all. The first interview went off without a hitch but she said she was asked if she was Muslim during the interview. I guess to explain her wearing the head covering. She replied no and left it at that. She was contacted for a second interview. Went well. Several months later she was hired. She attended orientation which lasted for several weeks. Than out of the blue, one of her supervisors called her to the side one day and asked her if she was Muslim, again she answered no, she even asked her if something was wrong with her hair, she replied no. The supervisor told her that she needed to come to work the next day with her hair out. She ignored that request and went to work as herself. The second day, she was requested to meet with one for her higher ranking superiors regarding her hair. Long story short, she was pretty much told that it was policy and she could not wear her hair covered to work. She explained that for weeks, she walked around with head covering and nobody said anything to her about it. She was told that if she pretty much did not show up without head covering she would lose her job, plus she was knew so they had no problem doing it. It made her very uncomfortable to the point of tears when she told me. She plans on quitting and looking for a new job. This is the world we live in. My heart is broken for her and she is still crying.
And since I'm feeling salty today. This is the "saddest story" you have ever heard? May I suggest you google "Syria+children" for a little perspective?
And since I'm feeling salty today. This is the "saddest story" you have ever heard? May I suggest you google "Syria+children" for a little perspective?
LOL, yeah , the "this is the world we live in" got me too...
And since I'm feeling salty today. This is the "saddest story" you have ever heard? May I suggest you google "Syria+children" for a little perspective?
Does the OP even watch the news and/or live in the world if this is the "saddest story" she's ever heard?
LOL, yeah , the "this is the world we live in" got me too...
I almost expected her to follow that up with "This is Trump's America now!" and post pictures of the Swastikas that were painted on her friend's garage.
I almost expected her to follow that up with "This is Trump's America now!" and post pictures of the Swastikas that were painted on her friend's garage.
And put on Facebook saying "99% of you will just scroll through, like and share if you care about diversity!"
I almost expected her to follow that up with "This is Trump's America now!" and post pictures of the Swastikas that were painted on her friend's garage.
Religious clothing needs to be supported with proof that it is a requirement of your religion.
That's why burkhas are allowed, and yet a cross on chain "can" be banned as its not a formal requirement for a practicing Christian.
If your friend cannot support her choice of clothing with evidence of religious requirements then she needs to stop wearing it and adhere to company policy.
This is not the OP's friend who failed. The HR, management and other unit staff were ones who did, and I wonder if there was also a story of a "concerned" family member or a patient whose racism and xenophobia had to be catered for in the name of the Holy Customer Satisfaction.
If employee's handbook/current policies have nothing said expressively about head covering being not permitted (and I bet that there is nothing like that there - otherwise, any member of the hospital' legal team would yell bloody murder till it was corrected), and especially if there is some sort of statement about "diversity", "inclusion" and "equality" being issued by that hospital, then the OP's friend has almost 100% case for EEOC. For increase of its expected beneficial effects, it can be very helpful to spread the news among local ethnic/immigrant communities, especially ones where most people are highly educated, such as universities, and, as in the case described, members of synagogue the fiancee of the OP's friend belongs to, with a clear message to avoid seeking medical care in that particular facility.
And since I'm feeling salty today. This is the "saddest story" you have ever heard? May I suggest you google "Syria+children" for a little perspective?
Or "Christians in Syria"... although fair warning: what is seen cannot be unseen. Some of those pictures are THE most disturbing images I have ever seen. I knew generally what was going on, and I have a strong stomach. I became tachycardic while looking and had nightmares.
Or how many hundreds of thousands of Christians and political prisoners being starved and worked to death in North Korean prison camps?
Heck, even famine victims?
OP I'm sorry her feelings were hurt. My initial thought was that would never fly where I live; women wear hijabs to work all the time. We also have a few Sikh men who wear their dastaars to work without issue.
However, my understanding of the tichel is it's worn by *married* Orthodox Jewish women. (correct me if I'm wrong.) If she converts to Orthodox Judaism and gets married, she shouldn't have an issue either. But right now, she is neither Jewish nor married. So her religious rights aren't being violated.
Religious clothing needs to be supported with proof that it is a requirement of your religion.
That's why burkhas are allowed, and yet a cross on chain "can" be banned as its not a formal requirement for a practicing Christian.
If your friend cannot support her choice of clothing with evidence of religious requirements then she needs to stop wearing it and adhere to company policy.
Sorry, that's incorrect.
People can wear whatever while on duty as long as it is not against the workplace's policies regarding dress code. The items on long chains/large earrings/flowing clothes/voluminous head coverings/etc., religion-associated or not, are usually prohibited for purely practical reasons, as they can be dangerous for their owner or others. The motives/intentions for wearing permitted items are nobody's business as long as the item(s) worn is not clearly prohibited.
Religion-associated clothes/accessoires can be either banned all together and stated as such (like "no religious-associated items like jewelry of any kind, head coverings or hair styles can be visible at any time while on duty"), or prohibited like above for practical reasons (so, large, flowing headscarf covering most of the face is not ok because it can be caught in moving machinery or by an agitated patient and cause injury of the person who wears it, but small neat one is permitted). The former statement can only encompass all religions and worship objects, as otherwise it would be clearly discriminatory. The latter one has to be expressively explained so that employees know what they can wear.
The OP's friend was asked several times if she is Muslim. Not only it showed that management in that hospital was incredibly ignorant about religious and cultural norms (there are many religions members of which, male or female, are required to cover their heads), but it was clearly discriminatory and I'm 99.9% sure not supported by any policy.
This is not the OP's friend who failed. The HR, management and other unit staff were ones who did, and I wonder if there was also a story of a "concerned" family member or a patient whose racism and xenophobia had to be catered for in the name of the Holy Customer Satisfaction.
If employee's handbook/current policies have nothing said expressively about head covering being not permitted (and I bet that there is nothing like that there - otherwise, any member of the hospital' legal team would yell bloody murder till it was corrected), and especially if there is some sort of statement about "diversity", "inclusion" and "equality" being issued by that hospital, then the OP's friend has almost 100% case for EEOC. For increase of its expected beneficial effects, it can be very helpful to spread the news among local ethnic/immigrant communities, especially ones where most people are highly educated, such as universities, and, as in the case described, members of synagogue the fiancee of the OP's friend belongs to, with a clear message to avoid seeking medical care in that particular facility.
You can't be serious. Every single place I have worked specifically prohibits hats/scarves or any other such cranial accessory unless it is part of religious garb. As such the employer has every right to ask if her headgear is a religious requirement. All she would have had to do is provide a simple "yes" and that would have ended it. The violation would have been if she was challenged to defend her religion's rules. She created this issue by being evasive. If she pulls this stunt at her next job the end result will be the same. I can't wear what I want just because I want to even if it represents my culture of which I am very fond. "Diversity" and "inclusiveness" have nothing to do with someones' fashion sense in the clinical environment. We are more than welcome to fly our individual freak flags on our own time. If I deviate from the dress code I better be prepared to explain why. Her "friend" isn't doing her any favors by being so darn melodramatic either.
People can wear whatever while on duty as long as it is not against the workplace's policies regarding dress code. The items on long chains/large earrings/flowing clothes/voluminous head coverings/etc., religion-associated or not, are usually prohibited for purely practical reasons, as they can be dangerous for their owner or others. The motives/intentions for wearing permitted items are nobody's business as long as the item(s) worn is not clearly prohibited.
Religion-associated clothes/accessoires can be either banned all together and stated as such (like "no religious-associated items like jewelry of any kind, head coverings or hair styles can be visible at any time while on duty"), or prohibited like above for practical reasons (so, large, flowing headscarf covering most of the face is not ok because it can be caught in moving machinery or by an agitated patient and cause injury of the person who wears it, but small neat one is permitted). The former statement can only encompass all religions and worship objects, as otherwise it would be clearly discriminatory. The latter one has to be expressively explained so that employees know what they can wear.
The OP's friend was asked several times if she is Muslim. Not only it showed that management in that hospital was incredibly ignorant about religious and cultural norms (there are many religions members of which, male or female, are required to cover their heads), but it was clearly discriminatory and I'm 99.9% sure not supported by any policy.
Actually depending on the faculity this is entirely possible that they have a specific policy against headwear. In fact this is directly from my employee handbook
"Headwear such as hankies, bandanas, and hats are prohibited unless
required in work area. Variances may be granted based on medical, ethnic and cultural
considerations"
So the OP's friend gave no reason for her wearing said head piece and went against the hospital policy.
Wuzzie
5,238 Posts
And since I'm feeling salty today. This is the "saddest story" you have ever heard? May I suggest you google "Syria+children" for a little perspective?