For people that said this wasn't happening, well it is.
EEOC Sues Star Transport, Inc. for Religious Discrimination
Agency Charges Trucking Company Failed to Accommodate and Wrongfully Terminated Two Muslim Employees For Refusal to Deliver Alcohol Due to Religious Beliefs
PEORIA, Ill. - Star Transport, Inc., a trucking company based in Morton, Ill., violated federal law by failing to accommodate two employees because of their religion, Islam, and discharging them, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
The lawsuit alleged that Star Transport refused to provide two employees with an accommodation of their religious beliefs when it terminated their employment because they refused to deliver alcohol. According to EEOC District Director John P. Rowe, who supervised administrative investigation prior to filing the lawsuit, "Our investigation revealed that Star could have readily avoided assigning these employees to alcohol delivery without any undue hardship, but chose to force the issue despite the employees' Islamic religion."
Failure to accommodate the religious beliefs of employees, when this can be done without undue hardship, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion. The EEOC filed suit, (EEOC v. Star Transport, Inc., Civil Action No. 13 C 01240-JES-BGC, U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois in Peoria, assigned to U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid), after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement through its statutory conciliation process. The agency seeks back pay and compensatory and punitive damages for the fired truck drivers and an order barring future discrimination and other relief.
John Hendrickson, the EEOC Regional Attorney for the Chicago District Office said, "Everyone has a right to observe his or her religious beliefs, and employers don't get to pick and choose which religions and which religious practices they will accommodate. If an employer can reasonably accommodate an employee's religious practice without an undue hardship, then it must do so. That is a principle which has been memorialized in federal employment law for almost50 years, and it is why EEOC is in this case."
The EEOC's Chicago District Office is responsible for processing charges of discrimination, administrative enforcement and the conduct of agency litigation in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and North and South Dakota, with Area Offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Exactly. And they were vindicated because their religion doesn't allow alcohol. Yet a bakery that won't bake a cake for a same sex wedding is fined out out business.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
I see that and that is why I commented they can do their job without drinking the product! what is they were delivering tampons or birth control, they wouldn't use it and might feel offended that people pick them over pads or NO sex...
ok maybe way off tangent, but I stand by it seems SO many anymore are just looking for reasons to be offended!
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~~Four Wheels Move the Body~~ ~~ Two Wheels Move the Soul~~
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
They did win. And yet the same people that are calling for Kim Davis's head support them.
Hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds...
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
They did win. And yet the same people that are calling for Kim Davis's head support them.
I don't understand why they didn't assign them a different delivery. Of course the facts are very slim in this article so it might not have been that easy to change their assignment.
I don't understand why they didn't assign them a different delivery. Of course the facts are very slim in this article so it might not have been that easy to change their assignment.
I agree. And yet, why not let another clerk issue a marriage license if Kim Davis felt it was infringing on her religious rights? They didn't HAVE to have her signature. What happens when she is sick or on vacation? Are no marriage licenses issued then>
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
They did win. And yet the same people that are calling for Kim Davis's head support them.
Hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds...
No. The lawsuit was filed. They haven't won, yet.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
They did win. And yet the same people that are calling for Kim Davis's head support them.
Hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds...
No. The lawsuit was filed. They haven't won, yet.
Sorry, I should have posted the results:
Jury Awards $240,000 to Muslim Truck Drivers In EEOC Religious Discrimination Suit
Star Transport Fired Truckers for Refusing to Transport Alcohol, Federal Agency Charged
CHICAGO - A federal jury in Peoria, Ill., has awarded $240,000 to two Somalian-American Muslims who were fired from their jobs as truck drivers at Star Transport, an over-the-road trucking company, when they refused to transport alcohol because it violated their religious beliefs, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which brought the case. The trial started on Oct. 19, and the jury returned its verdict the next day after 45 minutes of deliberation.
Judge James E. Shadid, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, found in favor of EEOC after Star Transport admitted liability in March 2015. The resulting trial was to determine compensatory and punitive damages and back pay. The jury awarded Mahad Abass Mohamed and Abdkiarim Hassan Bulshale $20,000 each in compensatory damages and $100,000 each in punitive damages. Judge Shadid awarded each approximately $1,500 in back pay.
EEOC alleged that in 2009, Star Transport fired Mohamed and Bulshale after they were required to transport alcohol. Both men told Star Transport that they believed doing so would violate their religious beliefs under Islamic law.
EEOC also alleged that Star Transport could have but failed to accommodate the truckers' religious beliefs, as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Star Transport, Inc., No. 13-cv-1240) in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois in Peoria in May 2013.
"EEOC is proud to support the rights of workers to equal treatment in the workplace without having to sacrifice their religious beliefs or practices," said EEOC General Counsel David Lopez. "This is fundamental to the American principles of religious freedom and tolerance."
The case was litigated by EEOC Trial Attorneys Aaron DeCamp and June Calhoun and Supervisory Trial Attorney Diane Smason.
Calhoun said, "This is an awesome outcome. Star Transport failed to provide any discrimination training to its human resources personnel, which led to catastrophic results for these employees. They suffered real injustice that needed to be addressed. By this verdict, the jury remedied the injustice by sending clear messages to Star Transport and other employers that they will be held accountable for their unlawful employment practices. Moreover, they signaled to Mr. Mohamed and Mr. Bulshale that religious freedom is a right for all Americans."
Smason stated, "We are pleased that the jury recognized that these - and all - employees are entitled to observe and practice their faith, no matter what that might be."
Bulshale commented, "This case makes me proud to be American."
EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about EEOC is available on its website, www.eeoc.gov.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
most jobs give a job description, and if you saw that part of your job was to do something your religion disagreed with, that is no one's business. but taking a job then claiming discrimination for a duty your job requires???
that is what I was referring to
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~~Four Wheels Move the Body~~ ~~ Two Wheels Move the Soul~~
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I hope they win. Religious freedom needs to be upheld in this country.
Riding - It's not looking for a reason to be offended. It's wanting to have their religious freedom upheld. To my understanding, Muslims are to avoid alcohol per their religion.
Then get a different job. It's like someone getting a job driving a taxi, and then says they can't be around other people.
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I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
12 idiots obviously....
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
This would be like applying for a weekend security guard position, and then claiming you can't work the Sabbath. They cannot accomodate that as that is the job you were hired for. Having to hire two people for the work of one is over and above reasonable accomodation.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
It seem they transport petroleum. Not sure how alcohol plays into it.
Star Transportation, LLC specializes in the transportation and delivery of products such as gasoline, diesel, aviation gas, jet fuel, ethanol, and oil.
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
12 idiots obviously....
Depends on the verdict.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
12 idiots obviously....
Depends on the verdict.
Did you not see my update? They won...
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
It seem they transport petroleum. Not sure how alcohol plays into it.
Star Transportation, LLC specializes in the transportation and delivery of products such as gasoline, diesel, aviation gas, jet fuel, ethanol, and oil.
Excellent point, cadiver. Why are they being made to deliver alcohol?
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
Star has received prestigious awards for superior and reliable transportation service from companies such as Quaker/Gatorade for the "Carrier of the Year".
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
12 idiots obviously....
Depends on the verdict.
Did you not see my update? They won...
The devil is in the details.
the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, found in favor of EEOC after Star Transport admitted liability in March 2015.
Of course, if they got a job to deliver oil and gasoline and then were told they would have to deliver alcohol and were fired b/c they didn't, THAT is a problem, and they should have won.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
What it will come down to is what is a "reasonable accomodation". I mean, there are not any alcohol free routes to speak of - alcohol could be sent to any address at any time. So, in order to accomodate these people, the employer would have to hire someone to monitor alcohol shipments, and have someone special go out to make those deliveries in their stead - and that someone would not be on a normal route. So, how disruptive and costly is that to the employer and how reasonable is it to have to do that.
IMO - such an arrangement would go above and beyond "reasonable accomodation". If there is an office job available, they could potentially be transferred there, but a delivery person's job is to deliver - so if that is the only job available, then it comes down to what 12 people think is "reasonable" for an employer to do in that situation. And that answer will vary based on who gets on the jury.
It seem they transport petroleum. Not sure how alcohol plays into it.
Star Transportation, LLC specializes in the transportation and delivery of products such as gasoline, diesel, aviation gas, jet fuel, ethanol, and oil.
I may have the wrong company there is Star Transportation and Star Transportation LLC.
and I was thinking they had a problem with ethanol.
-- Edited by cadiver on Tuesday 27th of October 2015 05:03:02 PM
I don't think they should have won. But, I didn't think the McDonald's hot coffee lady should have won either.
Do you know the back story about the McDonald's coffee burned lady? Do you want to? Clearly it's not what you think.
I know it. We've talked about it on here. It was frivolous.
No, not frivolous at all.
They were serving coffee at over 200 degrees, their own standard was 140.
They had had multiple incidents for people getting burned by their coffee, and didn't change their practice.
Your hands get scalded when the water temperature is 125 degrees.
In this case, the elderly lady suffered serious burns on her legs and needed plastic surgery.
She had been asking for them to pay the hospital bills, nothing else, they told her NO.
The jury decided that the only way to make them change their practice was to sock them in the wallet,
which is similar to the problem GM had with a defective tail light fixture that was shorting out and burning up Chevy's, and sometimes the people in them. The fix would have cost 50 cents per car, the bean counters decided that each death would cost the company about $10,000 , so it was cheaper to just let a few people burn to death.
Ford had a similar situation with Pintos burning people up because the gas tank was too vulnerable.
Sometimes it takes a $10 billion judgement to wake up the corporate executives.
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
And do you know how many people will complain about their coffee not being hot enough when they watch you catch it as it brews?
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I don't think they should have won. But, I didn't think the McDonald's hot coffee lady should have won either.
Do you know the back story about the McDonald's coffee burned lady? Do you want to? Clearly it's not what you think.
I know it. We've talked about it on here. It was frivolous.
No, not frivolous at all.
They were serving coffee at over 200 degrees, their own standard was 140.
They had had multiple incidents for people getting burned by their coffee, and didn't change their practice.
Your hands get scalded when the water temperature is 125 degrees.
In this case, the elderly lady suffered serious burns on her legs and needed plastic surgery.
She had been asking for them to pay the hospital bills, nothing else, they told her NO.
The jury decided that the only way to make them change their practice was to sock them in the wallet,
which is similar to the problem GM had with a defective tail light fixture that was shorting out and burning up Chevy's, and sometimes the people in them. The fix would have cost 50 cents per car, the bean counters decided that each death would cost the company about $10,000 , so it was cheaper to just let a few people burn to death.
Ford had a similar situation with Pintos burning people up because the gas tank was too vulnerable.
Sometimes it takes a $10 billion judgement to wake up the corporate executives.
Hot coffee is supposed to be hot. 140 degrees is only lukewarm tap water.
Dont spill it. No ones fault but her own.
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I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
Holding temp is 140 as determined by the health inspector.
Anything hot has to reach 165 before being served.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
If it's the same incident, the woman stuck the coffee between her legs and opened the lid causing the coffee to spill on her. I don't think she was elderly though so not sure if it's the same story.
McD's coffee used to be too hot, IMO. I never had the time to let it cool before drinking it, so I stopped ordering it. But the award was way too high. It would seem that she was negligent and assumed the risk by putting scalding coffee between her legs.
McD's coffee used to be too hot, IMO. I never had the time to let it cool before drinking it, so I stopped ordering it. But the award was way too high. It would seem that she was negligent and assumed the risk by putting scalding coffee between her legs.
I do see the hypocrisy in this award as well.
No kidding.
It would never occur to me to put a hot liquid between my legs. It just wouldn't.