New Years day brought several attacks on Islamic gathering places around New York City. The entrance to the Imam Al-Khoei Foundation was struck by two Molotov cocktails. In addition, two private houses and a corner store were targeted in the hate crimes. The Imam Al-Khoei Foundation is among the foremost Muslim institutions in New York, centering its practice on promoting work in development, human rights and minority rights as a general consultant to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. New York police have identified a suspect that has implicated himself in the attacks and had several personal grievances with each targeted location. Full article.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex in the workplace. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information: EEOC.

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC believe that discrimination at work, or anywhere else, has no place in a free and democratic society. Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC has won precedent-setting decisions involving employment discrimination for clients represented on Long Island and throughout the New York City area. For a free consultation, please contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658. at One Old Country Road - Suite 347, Carle Place, NY, 11514-1851

In Argentina, Fox Latin America, has issued an apology for a poll it posted on Facebook. The poll was centered on whether Jews killed Jesus Christ in an effort to promote the National Geographic Channel’s Christmas special. Specifically, the poll asked readers to vote on who they thought was responsible for the death of Christ, Pontius Pilate, The Jewish People or the High Priests. Guadalupe Lucero was the Fox Spokesperson who apologized on behalf of National Geographic. Fox also stated that the poll was removed immediately and measures were taken to prevent it from happening again. Read Full Article

Many laws and government agencies seek to protect against discrimination. Such laws and agencies include: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equal Pay Act (EPA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Specifically, they are intended to protect people from being treated differently by employers on the basis of their age, race, gender, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation and other factors. These important laws do not always stop discrimination from occurring, but offer aggrieved members of protected classes of people a method to obtain justice. Under the EEOC, for example, it is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information.

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C., dedicate a large amount of their practice to discrimination claims. For any questions, contact an attorneys at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658. Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s website is located at www.lmblaw.com.

The Badminton World Federation has abolished a rule that would have forced women to wear skirts or dresses in elite competition after it was criticized as sexist, a hindrance to competition and offensive to Muslim women who compete in large numbers in Asian countries. The rule had been proposed to allow shorts or long pants but only if worn under skirts or dresses and was intended to make women appear more feminine and attractive to fans and corporate sponsors. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/30/sports/badminton-group-kills-controversial-dress-code-rule.html?ref=discrimination. See also related article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/sports/badminton-dress-code-for-women-criticized-as-sexist.html

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act regulates various types of discrimination including gender discrimination. Additionally, sexual harassment statutes prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace.There are two common types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment. A hostile work situation typically involves repeated behavior that is abusive or offensive, or that interferes or alters the victims’ ability to perform their job. Employers that foster or otherwise allow these conditions to continue can be found liable for the conduct of the offending employees. See: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sex.cfm

Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC is a nationally recognized firm in the area of sexual harassment and gender discrimination.  Our firm has been successful in matters of civil litigation and discrimination throughout Long Island and the New York City area. For more information, contact Leeds, Morelli and Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation.

A Morroccan born waiter at New York’s Waldorf Astoria was told by hotel management to change his name to keep him from scaring guests. His lawsuit alleges that two days after the September 11 attacks he was asked to wear a name-tag reading, “John” and then later given another tag to wear reading, “Edgar”. The waiter filed discrimination complaints with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2005 and 2009. Trouble continued, however, in 2010 when he was asked to change his name yet again.  Further, other hotel staff called the waiter names like “terrorist” and “al-Qaeda boy.” The plaintiff is now suing the hotel for religious and racial discrimination. Read more:  http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/05/03/mohamed-kotbi-waldorf-astoria-waiter-forced-to-change-name-su/

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information: www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html.

The attorneys at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. are experienced in all matters of discrimination and labor law.  For any questions concerning discriminatory matters, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-556-2529.  Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s divorce website is located at www.lbdivorcelaw.com.

While some hiring decisions are considered to be discriminatory, the following are not: Not hiring a person whose personality appears to be a “poor fit”; Not hiring a person whose English is not fluent for a position that involves speaking with customers on the telephone all day; Not hiring a person who is overweight and does not meet an employer’s established weight requirements. However, not hiring or firing someone for the following reasons is considered discriminatory: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information or age.  Full story: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-04-08/news/29412404_1_personal-trainer-employers-practic

Currently, the law stands to protect people from discriminatory hiring. Federal and state laws which include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 have been enacted to prevent employers from unfairly discriminating against job candidates and employees.  These laws also protect people from retaliation for filing a charge of discrimination. According to the United States Department of Labor, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  See: http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/discrimination/ethnicdisc.htm

As a recognized equal opportunity and anti-discrimination firms in New York, Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. works to achieve successful judgments that are in the best interests of their clients.  If you or someone you know has been affected by employment discrimination or seeking a class action please feel free to contact Leeds, Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation or view their web page at www.lmblaw.com.

A Jewish hockey player drafted by the Anaheim Ducks, who was assigned to play in a minor league, sued the NHL team for religious discrimination and failure to prevent harassment.  Jason Bailey was drafted in 2005 and around 2008 signed a three year contract with the Ducks.  Bailey was assigned to play with the Bakersfield Condors, one of the Duck’s minor league teams.  Bailey alleges that his entire time spent playing with the Condors, he “was subject to severe and/or pervasive harassment on the basis of religion by being forced to endure a barrage of anti-Semitic, offensive and degrading verbal attacks regarding his Jewish faith.”  The harassment came from the Condors’ head coach.  The complaint alleges that the head coach made comments like “only care about money and who’s who.”  Bailey is now with the Ottawa Senators organization.  Full Article.

When it comes to racial or ethnic slurs, sexually inappropriate language or ageist remarks, there is no denying that it continues to thrive in the workplace.  There is an overwhelming amount of reports of what is referred to as “water cooler banter.”  Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.   Offensive conduct that rises to the level of harassment in the workplace is unlawful.  This may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.  For more information: EEOC Website

Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC is a nationally recognized firm in the area of employment law.  Our firm has had considerable success in matters of employment discrimination throughout Long Island and the New York City area.  For more information, contact Leeds, Morelli and Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation.

The state of Hesse in Germany passed a law forbidding civil servants from wearing burqas.  A Frankfurt city employee, who wanted to wear a full-face veil to work, was forced to resigned after the city of Frankfurt told her she had to choose between her veil and her job.  The woman, who is of Moroccan origin, had previously worn a headscarf but wanted to resume her job after maternity leave with her face completely veiled.  Frankfurt city objected, telling her that taxpayers would not accept an official if they could not see their eyes.  In the midst of the standoff, Hesse state announced a ban on burqas in the public service.  Full article.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act says it is illegal to discriminate based on a person’s religion in hiring, firing, promotion, pay, benefits and other work conditions. Like the FCRA, the federal law covers employers of 15 or more people.  Both Title VII and the FCRA prohibit employers from refusing to recruit, hire or promote someone because of their religion.  Employers must accommodate employees’ “sincerely held” religious beliefs or practices unless they create an undue hardship.  For example, changing an employee’s schedule to allow him or her to attend a religious service, allowing voluntary schedule swaps with co-workers and modifying workplace rules, such as dress or grooming requirements.  Please visit www.eeoc.gov for more information.

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC believe that discrimination at work, or anywhere else, has no place in a free and democratic society. Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC has won precedent-setting decisions involving employment discrimination for clients represented on Long Island, throughout the New York City area. For a free consultation, please Contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-888-585-4658.

A billboard sponsored by an organization called American Atheists has been placed near the Lincoln Tunnel in North Bergen County, New Jersey and shows a silhouette of the Three Wise Men approaching a manger stating, “You KNOW it’s a Myth. This Season, Celebrate REASON!”  The American Atheists paid $20,000 for the billboard, but claim it is not designed to convert Christians to atheism but to encourage existing atheists who are going through the motions of celebrating Christmas to stop and think.  The billboard will remain on Route 495 for the remainder of the holiday season.  For more information, click here.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.  In a case such as the one above regarding religion, harassment can include, for example, offensive remarks about a person’s religious beliefs or practices. Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that aren’t very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive environment. Read More

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC  have won precedent-setting decisions involving discrimination for clients represented on Long Island, throughout the New York City area and from other parts of the country as well.  For a free consultation, please Contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-888-5-JOBLAW.

A Florida church’s plan to burn the Quran, the Muslim holy book, has been criticized as “disrespectful, intolerant and divisive.”  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has condemned the planned burning of Qurans on the anniversary of the 2001 attacks on the United States as criticism mounts from Muslims around the world.  As a menacing consequence, U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, warned that the plan could put U.S. troops’ lives at risk.  The pastor of the Florida church, Terry Jones, told CNN Tuesday his flock was taking the warning seriously but had not decided to cancel the event, planned for September 11.  Jones, pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, told CNN: “We are burning the book. We are not killing someone. We are not murdering people.” The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday issued a statement saying the U.S. government “in no way condones such acts of disrespect against the religion of Islam, and is deeply concerned about deliberate attempts to offend members of religious or ethnic groups.”   Thousands of Indonesians gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday to protest the planned Quran burning.  Read More.

Instead of burning the Quran by claiming this act as one of faith in support of Jesus Christ’s mission, it is possible that this Florida church’s mission is a blatant form of discrimination against Muslims.  Anger at those responsible for the tragic events of September 11th should not be misdirected. Discriminating against an innocent individual or a group based on race or national origin may be prosecuted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  At this time, Employers and labor unions have a special role in guarding against unlawful workplace discrimination.  They should be particularly sensitive to potential discrimination or harassment against individuals who are Muslim, Arab, Afghani, Middle Eastern or South Asian.  The law’s prohibitions include harassment or any other employment action based on religious affiliation, physical or cultural traits and clothing (such as harassing a woman wearing a hijab head-scarf), perception or association. For more information, see: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-relig_ethnic.html

The attorneys at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. are experienced in handling all matters of discrimination, racial profiling, hate crimes, harassment and bigotry. The attorneys have represented clients in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island.  For any questions concerning discriminatory or civil rights matters, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-556-2529.  Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s divorce website is located at www.lbdivorcelaw.com.

A Disneyland hostess has filed a religious discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The hostess, who is a practicing Muslim, seeks to challenge Disney’s policy forbidding the wearing of her hijab, a religious head covering, claiming that the policy is illegal and wrong.

Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown stated that the company has allowed the employee to wear her hijab while working, but not in front of customers. However, the employee’s union is claiming that, despite the alleged accommodation, Disney’s action still constitutes a discriminatory practice. In addition to this development, Disney and the employee’s union have been battling over how much workers should contribute to their health plan and other issues. See:
http://www.presstelegram.com/breakingnews/ci_15817488

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information: www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html.

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC believe that discrimination at work, or anywhere else, has no place in a free and democratic society. Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC has won precedent-setting decisions involving employment discrimination for clients represented on Long Island, throughout the New York City area. For a free consultation, please Contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-888-585-4658.  at One Old Country Road - Suite 347, Carle Place, NY, 11514-1851