Religious Discrimination in the Workplace

[Tank]

Sounds like you inadvertently landed somewhere you really needed to be, to show up these peoples attitudes, God moves in mysterious ways  

On a more serious note. It's a real bugger that you ended up here because of the stress this could cause you. Stick to your guns on this, but not to the point where it is doing you harm with no end in sight. A good commander knows when to retreat as well as when to attack. Take care of yourself and keeps us posted.

[karadan]

Unfortunately, the religious issues are just the tip of the iceberg.  As I mentioned earlier, bigotry and racism ran rampant through my department.  I witnessed an exchange between my boss and my coworker where he basically told her not to do something for an Indian customer that he would've done if the person had been white.  Religious issues aside, someone needs to know about the racism and do something about it-it's not fair to the customers or the other people working there.  I was basically told that the way you treat a customer was dependent on their race or color.  Whenever my coworkers made racially inappropriate or bigoted comments, I objected to them.  I think the fact that I wasn't willing to discriminate was another contributing factor to what happened.

It beggars belief that your willingness to be an upstanding and moral person has actually worked against you in your job!! What a bunch of assholes they must be. As was said before, in the long term, it is probably for the best seeing as it can't have been particularly nice working there under such conditions. I've had to work in oppressive environments before and it is soul destroying. Still, it is such a nasty feeling to be sacked - whatever the circumstances.

I hope you find something else really soon. You definitely have the brain for it.

[philosoraptor]

Everyone I know tells me I'm better off.  Which is probably true, it just sucks right now because my SO's income is not enough to pay all the bills we have.  I'm hoping I can qualify for unemployment if I don't find something else soon.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Everyone I know tells me I'm better off.  Which is probably true, it just sucks right now because my SO's income is not enough to pay all the bills we have.  I'm hoping I can qualify for unemployment if I don't find something else soon.

I'm unsure of NJ requirements, but the norm is that you are eligible for unemployment benefits so long as you weren't fired for cause, which is defined as having violated either a) explicitly stated corporate policy or safe operating procedures or b) state or federal law.

You'll probably get it.

[KDbeads]

But you normally have to be there a certain number of days before eligible.  I think it's 90 in most states.

[Thumpalumpacus]

True enough.  I was assuming she had been.

[KebertX]

Fuck them. Who wants to work with bigots?

[philosoraptor]

Fuck them. Who wants to work with bigots?

Other bigots?

Even if my EEOC complaint goes nowhere, I hope it will at least shake things up and make them reevaluate the way they do business.  It's wait and see at this point.

[Tank]

Fuck them. Who wants to work with bigots?

Other bigots?

Even if my EEOC complaint goes nowhere, I hope it will at least shake things up and make them reevaluate the way they do business.  It's wait and see at this point.

Heart says yes, head says no  

[philosoraptor]

BUMPing this thread for an update ot the situation.

I FINALLY received back paper work from the EEOC yesterday.  I have a case worker, and they sent me copies of charge forms to review and initial, so it looks as though this thing is finally proceeding, slowly but surely!

Even if nothing really comes of it, I'm still glad I took the steps to do this.  Hopefully it will at least make them reconsider their lack of diversity and intolerance towards those who are different (or at least I can wish, right?).

[Thumpalumpacus]

Best of luck, ma'am.

[AnimatedDirt]

Oh no, I mentioned it to HR.  I told her everything.  Someone at that office should be shitting bricks right about now.

First of all, this is so wrong.  Second...$150.00 to get baptized?  

[Asmodean]

In my country and profession, I have the privilege to tell whoever to shove that job up his bottom if fired for imapropriate reasons. Would take me a day to find a new gig, and I'd spend half of it chilling in some cafe...

And still I can't seem to find just the right job...

Looks like I should consider myself lucky and shut up...  

[DropLogic]

I can't find my OP about this issue.

I started at my company as a contractor hired on to roll out some equipment to the field sales people.  They liked my work ethic, intelligence, and fresh look on things, so they hired me after only 5 weeks.  Fast forward 2 years.  I've been promoted three times, gotten a raise at each performance review, and things are looking great.  I propose to my now wife, and go to a department party a couple of weeks later where I am congratulated by my supervisor, his boss, and the head of development.  This is where my professional life at this company went to hell.
My bosses boss drops this bomb on me: "So are you excited to finally move in with your fiance?"
Taken aback for a moment I reply, "oh, well we've actually lived together for about 6 years now." You'd think I killed someone from the looks on their faces.
All three of them give each other shifty eye'd glances and my supervisor then asks, "so what church do you go to?"
I replied that I don't go to a church.  Sensing the tension, I went to buy the next round of drinks.

From that day forward my life at this company has been hell.  I have received mediocre performance reviews.  My ideas on how to help the company move forward through this tough economy have been completely ignored.  I have been written up twice for insubordination due to my "tone" in meetings.  Once all of this started happening I knew I had to tip-toe.  However, it doesn't seem to matter what I do here.  I was moved to another department that is entirely outside of my expertise 2 months ago.  That tells me that they can't fire me, so they'll tuck me away somewhere they don't have to acknowledge me or interact with me.  
I can't report this to anyone because they're all religious and don't think religious discrimination is real.  I went to a friend of mine in HR who I trust implicitly, and she told me that I would be fighting an impossible battle.
So for now, I'm looking for work elsewhere...but no one wants to pay me near what I'm already making...and my bills aren't getting any cheaper.

[Tank]

BUMPing this thread for an update ot the situation.

I FINALLY received back paper work from the EEOC yesterday.  I have a case worker, and they sent me copies of charge forms to review and initial, so it looks as though this thing is finally proceeding, slowly but surely!

Even if nothing really comes of it, I'm still glad I took the steps to do this.  Hopefully it will at least make them reconsider their lack of diversity and intolerance towards those who are different (or at least I can wish, right?).

Good news.