A Muslim civil rights group said Thursday it has filed federal complaints over the firing of 24 workers in a dispute over prayer breaks at a DHL Global Mail facility in northern Kentucky.
The Cincinnati chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the employees were terminated last month. The group said the employees had been using their break times for regular evening prayer. It said an apparent change by managers on the flexible break policy led to the conflict.
The group said it has complained to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that the workers were exercising legally protected religious rights.
DHL Global Mail didn't comment immediately Thursday.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Somali refugee Mohamed Maow, 27, was among those fired. He said he was terminated Oct. 9 after three years without problems at DHL Global Mail in Hebron, Ky., where he sorted mail for $11.57 an hour.
The workers said they had stopped, walked to a corner of the mailroom, and began silent prayer in separate huddles of men and women.
"First, it's religion," Maow said of the requirement for evening prayer. "Second, it is that you are to support your father and mother, and children until they are able to care for themselves. We take work very seriously."
CAIR attorney Booker Washington said the company claims that employees were insubordinate, disrespectful and hostile. He said there's been no evidence of disorderly conduct, and that CAIR is seeking possible damages, reinstatement where appropriate and policy changes to protect workers' rights.
CAIR said it has already filed 11 complaints and expects to file 24. The EEOC says it would first offer to mediate and if that is declined, would investigate whether to file suit against the employer. The agency says Muslims across the country filed 785 complaints of religious discrimination in 2012, The Enquirer reported.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
Comments
Not all the facts
Obviously the workers should be able to pray at work. Especially if there has not been any problems for 3 years with it. However, according to the compnay they were being insubordinate. If they were being hostile and not getting their work done, and they were given warnings then there is no case for the ex employees.
If they have been stopping to
If they have been stopping to pray at the same time everyday for three years then there should not be a problem. They have had no problems with these people and I see nothing wrong with them praying at the time they do religiously. They do not really talk about if the company fired anyone else or if there were other causes. They might not be discriminating even though that is how it seems.