Latest news with #employmentdiscrimination
Reuters
6 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
U.S. launches employment discrimination probe into George Mason University
WASHINGTON, July 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it had launched an employment discrimination probe into George Mason University, marking the latest college to be targeted by the Trump administration.
Reuters
6 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US launches employment discrimination probe into Virginia's George Mason University
WASHINGTON, July 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it had launched an employment discrimination probe into George Mason University in Virginia, making it the latest college to be targeted by the Trump administration. The civil rights probe will examine whether George Mason, a state university, "is engaged in discriminatory practices" based on race and sex," the department said. It said the investigation was spawned by comments made by George Mason's president and policies "which indicate that race and sex are motivating factors in faculty hiring" in order to achieve diversity goals. A spokesperson for George Mason could not be immediately reached for comment. The probe is the latest move against colleges and universities by President Donald Trump's administration, which has also launched investigations into campus antisemitism, opens new tab and has sought to freeze research funding. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, led by Trump appointee Harmeet Dhillon, has launched a number of employment discrimination probes into college campuses over diversity, equity and inclusion policies, including one at the University of California. Last month, the president of the University of Virginia resigned after facing pressure from the Trump administration over DEI policies.
Fox News
03-07-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Wisconsin ski park faces lawsuit after allegedly firing employee for sharing Bible verses on social media
A Wisconsin snow park is facing a federal lawsuit that accuses it of firing a Christian employee for posting Bible verses on his personal social media account. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a complaint against Crystal Ridge Ski Area, LLC, formerly known as The Rock Snowpark, a winter sports park and summer events venue in Franklin, Wisconsin, on Wednesday. Their complaint alleges the park discriminated against a former employee who worked there from January 2, 2022 to June 12, 2023. During his time of employment, the Rock Snowpark employee "frequently posted religious messages" including Bible verses, on his personal social media account, the suit states. On June 9, 2023, Rock Snowpark's Operations Manager met with the individual and expressed concern that his posts "were discriminatory to gay people," and asked him to refrain from posting these statements. When the employee asked if he could still post Bible verses, the manager gave approval, the suit says. Three days later, the employee posted another Bible verse on his personal social media and was terminated the same day. The EEOC complaint states the employee did not identify his workplace or claim to be representing the views of his employer on his social media account. His posts were not directed at any employee of Rock Snowpark and the park did not receive any complaints about the posts, the complaint claims. The employee had worked for the company for a year and a half before his termination, during which time he received bonuses and was promoted for his excellent performance, according to the lawsuit. The EEOC filed the suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement, the complaint explains. The park is accused of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. The commission is asking the court to issue a permanent injunction restricting Crystal Ridge from engaging in "any employment practices which discriminate on the basis of religion in violation of Title VII." The commission asks the court to order the park to implement new policies to ensure equal employment opportunities "regardless of religion." The complaint also asks for the employee to receive backpay and compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged harms caused. The commission is requesting a jury trial in the case. "All employees have the right to earn a living free from discrimination based on their religious beliefs," EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas said in a press release. "While employers must remain alert to potential harassment in the workplace, religious statements made outside of work that do not reference or impact anyone in the workplace do not constitute unlawful harassment." Crystal Ridge Ski Area told Fox News Digital it had not yet been served the legal complaint but rejected the allegations. "First, we want to make clear that we, as an employer and member of the community, treat all of our employees and customers equally and with respect, regardless of who they are and what they believe," the park said. "We also expect all of our employees to similarly respect each other and the customers that we are here to serve." "Second, we want to make clear that the internal employment decision that apparently led to the EEOC's lawsuit was not made on the basis of the employee's religious beliefs. Rather, it was a business decision based on performance issues and policy violations," they added, saying they had no further comment on the matter.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Starbucks employee with OCD that makes it hard for her to throw away trash sues for wrongful termination
A Starbucks barista whose obsessive-compulsive disorder makes it extremely difficult for her to throw things away claims she was fired after requesting special accommodations for her condition. Part of Nilani Thiyagarajah's job was 'maintaining cleanliness and organization in the store' in downtown Chicago, according to a federal lawsuit obtained by The Independent. However, her OCD results in an inability to 'regulate behaviors related to perfectionism, time management, and discarding items,' the lawsuit states. In addition to compelling Thiyagarajah to hoard trash, the 40-year-old's complaint says the condition 'affects her concentration, focus, memory, [and] ability to complete tasks,' which 'substantially limits [her] major life activities.' But instead of providing 'task modifications during peak hours (such as reassignment from the oven station), and an understanding and supportive work environment,' Thiyagarajah – who was in her role for around six months – was subjected to 'repeated passive-aggressive comments… being called into a back room in front of male employees and told she must wear a bra to work, [and] being mocked and ridiculed by management,' the complaint alleges. When Thiyagarajah later sought time off to participate in an intensive outpatient program to treat her OCD, the complaint maintains she was fired for purportedly not being friendly enough to customers. In an email on Tuesday, a Starbucks spokesperson told The Independent, 'We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where all our partners (employees) feel welcomed, respected, and valued. We take all concerns seriously and are committed to reviewing any claims brought to our attention with care and diligence. However, we will not be commenting on pending litigation.' Thiyagarajah did not respond to numerous messages seeking comment. Her attorney, Nathan Volheim, declined to comment. Thiyagarajah began working at Starbucks in May 2024, with duties that included preparing and serving beverages and food items to customers, operating the cash register and handling customer transactions, and keeping the store clean and tidy, according to her complaint, which was filed June 6 in Chicago federal court. People with OCD face a constant barrage of unwanted thoughts and fears, or obsessions, that prompt repetitive behaviors, or compulsions, in response, according to an OCD primer by the Mayo Clinic. It says those ritualistic compulsions can include such things as hand-washing until your skin becomes raw, checking doors over and over again to make sure they're locked, silently repeating a prayer, word, or phrase, or arranging canned goods to all face the same way. 'Ultimately, you feel driven to do compulsive acts to ease your stress,' the Mayo explains. 'Even if you try to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts or urges, they keep coming back. This leads you to act based on ritual. This is the vicious cycle of OCD.' When workers with OCD are engaging in rituals or experiencing self-doubt and uncertainty, 'their bosses and co-workers might believe the employees are slow, incompetent, lazy, or not paying attention,' according to the International OCD Foundation. 'If OCD is leading to poor performance reviews, counseling, discipline, or other problems at work, it is time to consider whether or not to disclose the disability and ask for reasonable accommodation.' So, after a month or two on the job, Thiyagarajah told the store's manager and assistant manager about her OCD, which severely impacts her 'ability to throw items away,' the complaint goes on. It says Thiyagarajah, who was apparently having trouble getting to work on time, asked them to assign her duties 'aligned with her strengths,' and requested a 15-minute grace period for arrival. She also requested 'task modifications during peak hours (such as reassignment from the oven station), and an understanding and supportive work environment.' Instead, Thiyagarajah was 'mocked and ridiculed by management,' who subjected her to 'repeated passive-aggressive comments,' according to her complaint. As a practical matter, Thiyagarajah's complaint says her OCD affects her 'ability to throw items away.' Nevertheless, it claims she was written up for letting detritus accumulate at her workstation, being late, disciplined for wearing a logoed shirt under her apron, reprimanded for working too slowly, and ordered to wear a bra to work. Conversely, other employees and supervisors who wore logoed shirts 'openly,' were routinely late, or worked at a slow pace, did so 'without consequence,' the complaint states. But because Thiyagarajah was unable to provide a doctor's note 'within a rigid deadline,' higher-ups refused to accommodate her OCD-related limitations, the complaint alleges. In July 2024, after Thiyagarajah contacted the Starbucks Ethics and Compliance Hotline and made a claim of disability discrimination, she was subsequently 'subjected to increased scrutiny and hostility' from her shift supervisor, according to the complaint. Thiyagarajah subsequently asked to transfer to a different store – which was denied, all while 'other non-disabled employees were permitted to transfer.' That November, amid a steadily worsening situation at work, Thiyagarajah 'initiated a request for continuous medical leave to participate in an intensive outpatient program to treat her OCD,' according to the complaint. Days later, while her leave request was still pending, Thiyagarajah was terminated for 'pretextual reasons, including vague accusations such as 'not socializing with customers' and 'not greeting customers,' which were not previously raised as concerns,' the complaint asserts. It says the timing of Thiyagarajah's firing suggests that Starbucks 'retaliated against her for seeking accommodations for her disability,' and that letting her go constituted 'unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability.' In 2011, Starbucks agreed to pay $75,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission on behalf of a barista in New Mexico with dwarfism who was fired after requesting a stool or small stepladder to better see over the counter. In 2016, Starbucks was ordered to compensate an employee in London who was accused of falsifying documents when in fact she had simply misread the water and fridge temperatures due to her dyslexia. That same year, Starbucks settled a lawsuit brought by a deaf barista in Arizona who claimed the chain terminated her after she asked for a sign language interpreter to be provided during staff meetings. Thiyagarajah's complaint says her firing has led to mental anguish, distress, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life. She is alleging four separate violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act, including disability-based discrimination, disability-based harassment, failure to accommodate, and retaliation. Thiyagarajah is now seeking back pay and benefits with interest, front pay, attorneys fees and court costs, and compensatory and punitive damages to be determined by a jury.
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Starbucks barista whose OCD caused her to hoard trash at work sues for unfair dismissal
A Starbucks barista whose obsessive-compulsive disorder makes it extremely difficult for her to throw things away claims she was fired after requesting special accommodations for her condition. Part of Nilani Thiyagarajah's job was 'maintaining cleanliness and organization in the store' in downtown Chicago, according to a federal lawsuit obtained by The Independent. However, her OCD results in an inability to 'regulate behaviors related to perfectionism, time management, and discarding items,' the lawsuit states. In addition to compelling Thiyagarajah to hoard trash, the 40-year-old's complaint says the condition 'affects her concentration, focus, memory, [and] ability to complete tasks,' which 'substantially limits [her] major life activities.' But instead of providing 'task modifications during peak hours (such as reassignment from the oven station), and an understanding and supportive work environment,' Thiyagarajah – who was in her role for around six months – was subjected to 'repeated passive-aggressive comments… being called into a back room in front of male employees and told she must wear a bra to work, [and] being mocked and ridiculed by management,' the complaint alleges. When Thiyagarajah later sought time off to participate in an intensive outpatient program to treat her OCD, the complaint maintains she was fired for purportedly not being friendly enough to customers. In an email on Tuesday, a Starbucks spokesperson told The Independent, 'We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where all our partners (employees) feel welcomed, respected, and valued. We take all concerns seriously and are committed to reviewing any claims brought to our attention with care and diligence. However, we will not be commenting on pending litigation.' Thiyagarajah did not respond to numerous messages seeking comment. Her attorney, Nathan Volheim, declined to comment. Thiyagarajah began working at Starbucks in May 2024, with duties that included preparing and serving beverages and food items to customers, operating the cash register and handling customer transactions, and keeping the store clean and tidy, according to her complaint, which was filed June 6 in Chicago federal court. People with OCD face a constant barrage of unwanted thoughts and fears, or obsessions, that prompt repetitive behaviors, or compulsions, in response, according to an OCD primer by the Mayo Clinic. It says those ritualistic compulsions can include such things as hand-washing until your skin becomes raw, checking doors over and over again to make sure they're locked, silently repeating a prayer, word, or phrase, or arranging canned goods to all face the same way. 'Ultimately, you feel driven to do compulsive acts to ease your stress,' the Mayo explains. 'Even if you try to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts or urges, they keep coming back. This leads you to act based on ritual. This is the vicious cycle of OCD.' When workers with OCD are engaging in rituals or experiencing self-doubt and uncertainty, 'their bosses and co-workers might believe the employees are slow, incompetent, lazy, or not paying attention,' according to the International OCD Foundation. 'If OCD is leading to poor performance reviews, counseling, discipline, or other problems at work, it is time to consider whether or not to disclose the disability and ask for reasonable accommodation.' So, after a month or two on the job, Thiyagarajah told the store's manager and assistant manager about her OCD, which severely impacts her 'ability to throw items away,' the complaint goes on. It says Thiyagarajah, who was apparently having trouble getting to work on time, asked them to assign her duties 'aligned with her strengths,' and requested a 15-minute grace period for arrival. She also requested 'task modifications during peak hours (such as reassignment from the oven station), and an understanding and supportive work environment.' Instead, Thiyagarajah was 'mocked and ridiculed by management,' who subjected her to 'repeated passive-aggressive comments,' according to her complaint. As a practical matter, Thiyagarajah's complaint says her OCD affects her 'ability to throw items away.' Nevertheless, it claims she was written up for letting detritus accumulate at her workstation, being late, disciplined for wearing a logoed shirt under her apron, reprimanded for working too slowly, and ordered to wear a bra to work. Conversely, other employees and supervisors who wore logoed shirts 'openly,' were routinely late, or worked at a slow pace, did so 'without consequence,' the complaint states. But because Thiyagarajah was unable to provide a doctor's note 'within a rigid deadline,' higher-ups refused to accommodate her OCD-related limitations, the complaint alleges. In July 2024, after Thiyagarajah contacted the Starbucks Ethics and Compliance Hotline and made a claim of disability discrimination, she was subsequently 'subjected to increased scrutiny and hostility' from her shift supervisor, according to the complaint. Thiyagarajah subsequently asked to transfer to a different store – which was denied, all while 'other non-disabled employees were permitted to transfer.' That November, amid a steadily worsening situation at work, Thiyagarajah 'initiated a request for continuous medical leave to participate in an intensive outpatient program to treat her OCD,' according to the complaint. Days later, while her leave request was still pending, Thiyagarajah was terminated for 'pretextual reasons, including vague accusations such as 'not socializing with customers' and 'not greeting customers,' which were not previously raised as concerns,' the complaint asserts. It says the timing of Thiyagarajah's firing suggests that Starbucks 'retaliated against her for seeking accommodations for her disability,' and that letting her go constituted 'unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability.' In 2011, Starbucks agreed to pay $75,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission on behalf of a barista in New Mexico with dwarfism who was fired after requesting a stool or small stepladder to better see over the counter. In 2016, Starbucks was ordered to compensate an employee in London who was accused of falsifying documents when in fact she had simply misread the water and fridge temperatures due to her dyslexia. That same year, Starbucks settled a lawsuit brought by a deaf barista in Arizona who claimed the chain terminated her after she asked for a sign language interpreter to be provided during staff meetings. Thiyagarajah's complaint says her firing has led to mental anguish, distress, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life. She is alleging four separate violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act, including disability-based discrimination, disability-based harassment, failure to accommodate, and retaliation. Thiyagarajah is now seeking back pay and benefits with interest, front pay, attorneys fees and court costs, and compensatory and punitive damages to be determined by a jury.
