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Muslim flight attendant sues US airline for firing her for refusing to serve alcohol

Lawsuit states that ExpressJet is in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

News Desk August 10, 2016

PHOTO: Reuters

A Muslim flight attendant who was dismissed by ExpressJet last year following her refusal to serve alcohol to passengers has sued the company for unfair dismissal.

The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair-MI) filed a lawsuit last week on behalf of Charee Stanley in Michigan’s eastern district court. The lawsuit states that ExpressJet is in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because the airline did not provide a reasonable accommodation for Stanley’s religious beliefs.

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Stanley began working for ExpressJet around the time she converted to Islam; in 2013. She was granted the request to wear a hijab on her first day of work.

When Stanley further learned about the Islamic proscription on consuming alcohol also extended to the act of serving alcohol to others she requested her employers if other flight attendants on duty could serve alcohol while she performed other tasks. Her request was approved and Stanley coordinated with her coworkers. “This arrangement worked smoothly and without causing any problems,” the suit states.

However, according to the suit, another flight attendant complained about Stanley’s hijab, books in Arabic and refusal to serve alcohol.

Following the complaint, in August last 2015, Stanley was told to either resign or serve alcohol. Soon after , Stanley filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Detroit. While the investigation by EEOC was inconclusive, it allowed Stanley to sue.

The lawsuit seeks reinstatement of Stanley to her job, payment for economic, emotional and punitive damages, as well as compensation for attorney’s fees.

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In a press release, Cair-MI legal director Lena Masri said: “Employers are obligated to provide reasonable accommodations of the religious beliefs of their employees,”

“ExpressJet wrongfully revoked the religious accommodation it directed Ms. Stanley to follow, and retaliated against her for following it by wrongfully suspending her employment.”

ExpressJet is a Georgia-based airline that is partnered with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

This article originally appeared on The Guardian.

COMMENTS (42)

kdp | 8 years ago | Reply @Sunil: That's more of a problem because converts are more observant and forceful to prove that they arr better than those born ones

observer | 8 years ago | Reply This is an example why westerners are beginning to hate Muslism immigration more and more.. These muslim immigrants unjustifiably demand that the western countries change their own culture, way of life and practices to accommodate these religious nuts. If they are so observant of their religion, why don't they stay in their own countries or migrate to other Muslim countries only?

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echoboom | 8 years ago | Reply The slaves of Pakistan's Ba Ba Blacksheep mindset. have no comprehension of rights and rebelliousness, They would have advised blacks to accept the status-quo 50 years ago and even now...No wonder, these suit-and-tie brownie/wheatish monkeys spouting gora-talk still think themselves fit to be ruled by the white-man only

Junaid Khan | 8 years ago | Reply @Iqbal Hadi Zaidi . Get a life dude. You think if she will stick to her stance then Allah will take care of her. Nice. Why bother Allah ?. Why don't you commit taking care of her house expense if she looses a law suite just because she is gonna listen to you and stick to her so called interpretation of Islam. Come on. You are claiming that you are the most honest because your right " Your First Name + Middle Name + Last Name " . So be true Muslim. Commit financial guarantee your sister in Islam.

Lahori | 8 years ago | Reply Indians (biased?) seem to be most upset by the law suit.

Saad | 8 years ago | Reply @iqbal hadi zaidi Your comments are out of context. If she was a pure muslim she should gave up the job and serve a muslim airliner rather than serving non muslim airlines Emploees should obey the company rather than making there own rules

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply @Ali J: It would be difficult for her to prove from a religious point that SERVING alcohol is against her religion. She could take the plea that that that was her interpretation and that would be contested. The American Civil Rights Act is there as a safeguard.....and not to be abused.

Shameless | 8 years ago | Reply @Haramullah: You are by far the most ignorant person and somehow allowed by this fake website tribune to post such comments.

Shameless | 8 years ago | Reply @Ali J: Finally someone who does not have inferiority complex like Pakistanis have.

Shameless | 8 years ago | Reply @GS@Y: Read again. She got the exemption. Then the company turned around and listened to another employee. They should not have allowed the first time for the Muslimah if it was something serious. Get over the inferiority complex.

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi | 8 years ago | Reply Haramullah First write full name (yr personal name+ your father name + your family name)like I always do. Why to play to hide and seek. Secondly your name itself personifies you and thus I need not elucidate. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

bechari-awam | 8 years ago | Reply The funny thing is that no one knows what the 1964 civil right act is because most of the people commenting over here are sitting somewhere outside of the US. If there is a law that protects against such religious discrimination then why all the cuppy baz so upset about it, they can still line up outside US embassy to get their visit visa and indulge in their favorite drink en-route to here

Ryan | 8 years ago | Reply You cannot bring your communal practices and beliefs into a secular environment. Otherwise, it amounts to imposing your communal practices and beliefs on others. This should not be tolerated....

Haramullah | 8 years ago | Reply @Iqbal Hadi Zaidi: Your comments are disgusting.

Sid | 8 years ago | Reply Flight attendants prime duty is to serve. Not religion. If Religion was an issue this lady should never have become flight attendant. This is becoming a joke.

S Shastri | 8 years ago | Reply Perhaps she can next refuse to serve Pork or Ham in addition to wine. Then refuse to serve Jews and other infidels. Finally she can ask the airline to refuse to fly anybody but the Believers.

Haji Atiya | 8 years ago | Reply I was so annoyed with learning of her antics that I went out and downed 2 cold ones !

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi | 8 years ago | Reply I wonder and ponder how Muslims are saying against her. She did not ask anyone of us to favor her as she has moved to a court of law but nevertheless those who by name look to be Muslims should not write against her unless they do not believe in the cardinal principles of Islam. Pl remember if she sticks to Islam she will be taken care by Allah inshaallah and those against her should seek forgiveness from Allah. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

siesmann | 8 years ago | Reply @Ali J: Legally you are right. But it sure will close these jobs to other Muslims.Every airline will become super-cautious and will avoid hiring Muslims.It is unfortunate that employers work hard to hire minorities as much they can,and then run into trouble with them.

Quresh | 8 years ago | Reply @GS@Y: You are correct. It is all about money Game.

Sunil | 8 years ago | Reply @Ajay: She is a convert. Her country is US. She is from US.

who | 8 years ago | Reply She is concerned only with her rights as she ought to be & she may well win the case, & rightly so. It will then become a settled precedence and that would mean some industries devising subtle ways to keep Muslims away from duties that involve interaction with customers or serving them. Fair enough.

kdp | 8 years ago | Reply Few years ago Somali taxi cab drivers in Minneapolis refused to accept customers if they had wine or whisky bottles in their luggage. City struggled to accommodate them suggesting that a sign can be displayed for Muslim cab drivers. There was a big protest whereby people asked Somalis to get jobs other than driving cabs. Somalis finally dropped that demand.

Justin | 8 years ago | Reply @Ali J: Convert of not, she should have quit her job if she couldn't do justice to it. Everybody knows that alcohol is served on planes. If she won't serve drinks, she shouldn't work in a pub or an airplane. She is looking for a quick buck.

Jamil Ahmad | 8 years ago | Reply @Ajay: If you read careful, she is a American who converted to Islam, so what you are talking all becomes nonsense.

Tyggar | 8 years ago | Reply Irony that Muslims who don't give equal treatment to others in their countries are suing others for getting special treatment in theirs

J.Niaz | 8 years ago | Reply @Ali J: Your is the only sensible comment.

Ali J | 8 years ago | Reply Every comment seems like coming from slow wits. Firstly she was an American who converted to Islam, NO one can ask her to go back to her country. Secondly, at the time of taking up the job, she requested and the informed the airline that she was not comfortable with serving alcohol and her request was accepted. It was until some fellow attendant made a complaint, if anything Airline should have informed the attendant that Ms. Stanley's request had been accepted, also, it's part of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964 which none of you people have anything to do with, it allowed her to continue to work so long as she had genuine religious reason to be not able to perform an otherwise prescribed job description. Her rights were clearly abused, she is right to sue the airline in every sense of the word

Rao | 8 years ago | Reply I wonder if she had requested special exemption to wear hijab or Burkha on religious grounds! How about praying in the aisle?

Rao | 8 years ago | Reply @irony: There are lawyers who are hungry for the business of suing on behalf religious grounds hoping to get a cut in awards if they win the case! Als o some do pro bound cases to get experience. In USA this whole thing is a Tamasha!

Komal S | 8 years ago | Reply Good to see muslims are against this frivolous lawsuit. May be she forgot to read the part in her religion, where it says, she cannot work outside and serve strangers(men) with her face visible. Most likely she is using religion to win some quick bucks.

Ajay | 8 years ago | Reply Cant understand why Muslims create such a fuss everywhere. If they are so particular better live in your own Islamic country. Why you go abroad and seek jobs in a place whose culture you dont like? Totally misplaced mixing of religion in social and cultural life by Muslims.

Sabika | 8 years ago | Reply Other Muslims are finding it difficult to get jobs because of people like her. If you are not comfortable with your job, move to another airline, department or industry that will suit you. It's not like they had not accommodated her requests at all. I will not be surprised if companies, particularly in the airline industry, will not consider hiring a Muslim now after all such recent incidents

Adnan | 8 years ago | Reply This must be a joke !!

irony | 8 years ago | Reply what nonsence. If you dont like it, leave the job. These things are clearly known when you apply for being an airhostess, that you have to serve customers whatever is on the menu. What next...

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply Correct decision by the airline.......she was required by her job to serving it, not being forced to drink it. The line has to be drawn somewhere.

noor | 8 years ago | Reply The woman is an idiot - who has given her a right to enforce her beliefs in an air hostess job?! I hope the company countersues her!

Brainy Bhaijan | 8 years ago | Reply It is the airlines that has to make the policies not employees.

Adnan Siddiqui | 8 years ago | Reply Who will ever employ a Muslim again? Was she so dumb that she didn't know that they served alcohol on planes? Already, nobody is ready to employ Muslims and frivolous cases like these only makes matters worse.

AD | 8 years ago | Reply This is not good professionalism, the company has already accommodated so many of her requests. It may be good for her if she wins the case.But it will make an unwritten filter in HR dept Work is workship and not the otherway around. if you have problems with a work description better not take it.

reallly | 8 years ago | Reply she could be in prohibition instead.

GS@Y | 8 years ago | Reply Surely it's not reasonable to claim exemption from job responsibilities on religious grounds. Perhaps she can be in a different type of service industry.

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