February 1st, 2010 by Leeds Morelli & Brown
By GetLegal.com
French lawmakers are moving toward a ban on women wearing full-faced veils in public office buildings, schools, hospitals and while using mass transit. The movement was started last June when French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the full-face veil was “not welcome” in France, as many view the veil as a gateway to extremism and a threat to gender equality and secularism. Sarkozy commented that “In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity.” With more than 5 million Muslims living in France, this controversial ban has been highly criticized by Muslim leaders. Surprisingly, however, the ban is supported by French Muslim women.
The question becomes whether this French ban on full-face veils is constitutional. In 2004, French lawmakers passed a law that banned headscarves in schools and for government workers in state offices. Generally, in the United States, the First Amendment of the Constitution protects citizens from bans on religious clothing. However, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Nebraska have upheld laws that prohibit teachers from wearing religious clothing in classrooms. The law requires neutrality regarding religion, meaning the states or schools can neither favor nor disfavor religion. Discriminating against an individual based on race or national origin may be prosecuted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Please visit the EEOC’s website for further information: www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html.
The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C., dedicate a large amount of their practice to employment discrimination claims. For any questions, contact an attorney 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.
Posted in Religious Discrimination |
October 14th, 2009 by Leeds Morelli & Brown
By: Elizabeth Lopez
Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean sued pageant officials for libel, slander and religious discrimination, accusing them of telling her to stop mentioning God. Prejean sued California pageant executive director Keith Lewis and former Miss USA Shanna Moakler after she was fired in June by pageant officials who claimed it was a result of her missing several scheduled appearances. Prejean claims that it was “not true and that she was ousted because of her controversial remarks.”
She was named first runner-up and many believe that she lost her shot at the crown because of her answer regarding her religious views and gay marriage. Prejean’s attorney found no proof that Prejean missed any events nor were “there any contract violations,” he said.
The lawsuit claims that Lewis and Moakler both told Prejean not to mention God on her Miss USA application or at public events. Moakler’s attorney said in a statement that Prejean’s lawsuit was without merit, however for her love of God Prejean looks forward to proving that she did nothing wrong in a court of law.
Leeds, Morelli & Brown is always available to advise you about your First Amendment rights regarding the freedom of religious expression.
For any questions, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658.
Posted in Discrimination, Religious Discrimination |
September 9th, 2009 by Leeds Morelli & Brown
By Karen Best
What would a soap opera be without a dramatic storyline? It would probably be a sitcom or a television series. One of the star’s of the show One Life To Live intents to bring some of the on camera drama to real life.
Fourteen year soap opera veteran, Patricia Mauceri, is considering taking legal action against television company ABC. Mauceri believes she was terminated by the show because of her religious beliefs. When Mauceri received storyline changes for her character, Charlotte Vega, she decided to ask questions. Mauceri objected to the changes because she is a devout Christian and the storyline required her to be supportive of her on camera son, possibly being gay.
Mauceri claims she “did not object to being in a gay storyline. I objected to speaking the truth of what that person, how that person would live and breathe and act in that storyline … And this goes against everything I am, my belief system, and what I know the character’s belief system is aligned to.”
At Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC, we believe that discrimination at work, or anywhere else, has no place in a free and democratic society. For more than two decades, attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC have been championing the rights of employees and fighting discrimination in the workplace. If you have been discriminated against by an employer, talk to us. Contact Leeds, Morelli and Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation.
Posted in Employment Law, Religious Discrimination |
April 18th, 2008 by Leeds Morelli & Brown
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 explicitly prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of religion. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) is a government agency that enforces employment discrimination laws. The attorneys at the Leeds Morelli & Brown law firm are in constant contact with the EEOC regarding our clients’ claims. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Religious Discrimination |
April 18th, 2008 by Leeds Morelli & Brown
Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C. esta dispuesto a pelear contra la discriminación religiosa.
El titulo VII de los Derechos Civiles de 1964 prohíbe que los jefes discriminen por la religión del empleado. La Comisión de Oportunidades Iguales en el Empleo (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) (“EEOC”) es una agencia del gobierno que hace cumplir las leyes de discriminación en el empleo. Los abogados en la oficina de Leeds Morelli & Brown mantienen contacto constante con el EEOC con respecto de las demandas de nuestros clientes. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Religious Discrimination |