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

Jarretta Hamilton was fired from her job as a fourth grade school teacher at Southland Christian School in St. Cloud, Florida, for fornication — having sex before marriage. Hamilton and her husband were married on February 20, 2009. Three weeks before the wedding, she conceived her daughter, Sarah. In April 2009, Hamilton approached Principal Jon Ennis, requesting a standard six week maternity leave for the fall. As the conversation progressed, Ennis ask Hamilton is she had conceived prior to marriage, knowing Hamilton had only been married for a few weeks. Hamilton answered yes, seeing no reason to lie to her employer. Shortly thereafter, Hamilton was asked not to return to the Christian school because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication, sex outside of marriage. The employment application, which she filled out, clearly states that as a leader before students the school requires all teachers to maintain and communicate the values and purpose of the Christian school. Hamilton alleges the termination violated federal anti-discrimination laws. In addition, they allege in a pending lawsuit, the school’s principal invaded Hamilton’s privacy by telling other teachers and the parents of her students the exact reason she was fired. Read more: MSNBC Article

Although private school teachers do not generally enjoy as much of the constitutional protection as public school teachers, statutes may provide protection against discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, for example, protects teachers at both public and private schools from racial, sexual, or religious discrimination. Private school teachers may also enjoy rights in their contracts that are similar to due process rights, including the inability of a private school to dismiss the teacher without cause, notice, or a hearing.

Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC is a nationally recognized leader 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 »

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 »