discrimination....please advice

I

indianh1b

Registered Users (C)
Hi everyone,

I am not sure where to post this question in this website but decided to put it here because there seems to be a lot activity in this forum. I would like to get people's opinion on my situation. Any input will be appreciated.

I work for a company in the US as an H1 employee. We are a small company and the it's generally a good place to work. My boss is also a good person. But that is the end of the good story. Now the bad part:

About 95% of the company are all Americans. THere are Chinese and Indian. They are generally wonderful people and mostly fun to work with. I get along with them pretty well on the job but there are some personal issues at work. Just because they are repeated seeing an anti-Muslim and anti-Islam message on the TV/media, they equate all Muslims to be bad guys. I am a liberal Muslim from India and have some best friends from Hindu & Christian religions in India. I have done everything possible within limits to be a good friend of my co-workers and to adjust to their culture. Irrespective of that, they make fun of me and my religion and some times my country. They call me a terrorist, or a suicide bomber openly in public sometimes because I am a Muslim. Some have a very sterotypical image of India when they say we Indians are dirty or no nothing but producing babies. The word spreads around and soon other co-workers start sayinig the same thing - ie., whatever their mind thinks. Other times they say very offensive things against Islam such as wishing to blow up sacred places in my religion. One of them said that his solution to world's problems is to kill all Muslims.

I have never confronted any of them to defend myself as I do not want to mess up any relationships or ruin mine or my religion's image. I have been ignoring their "jokes" so far but they are not tolerable anymore. Most of the co-workers have never been outside of the US and are not exposed to foreigners. They learn about Islam / Muslims / India from CNN, MSNBC, FOX news.

My question is: What does the law say about a case like this? What are my options to set the record straight? This has started happenning since after 9/11 and is getting worse month after month.

Please advice.
 
It can be tough working under such conditions and I understand your pain.

Send a handwritten note and a email to your manager, describing these facts. If he does not sort the issue, write it to his manager and the HR group.

Once you have written proof, and do not see action soon, you can go to a lawyer and sue the company for religious rights infringement.
There are federal laws that take care of these civil rights.

Originally posted by indianh1b
Hi everyone,

I am not sure where to post this question in this website but decided to put it here because there seems to be a lot activity in this forum. I would like to get people's opinion on my situation. Any input will be appreciated.

I work for a company in the US as an H1 employee. We are a small company and the it's generally a good place to work. My boss is also a good person. But that is the end of the good story. Now the bad part:

About 95% of the company are all Americans. THere are Chinese and Indian. They are generally wonderful people and mostly fun to work with. I get along with them pretty well on the job but there are some personal issues at work. Just because they are repeated seeing an anti-Muslim and anti-Islam message on the TV/media, they equate all Muslims to be bad guys. I am a liberal Muslim from India and have some best friends from Hindu & Christian religions in India. I have done everything possible within limits to be a good friend of my co-workers and to adjust to their culture. Irrespective of that, they make fun of me and my religion and some times my country. They call me a terrorist, or a suicide bomber openly in public sometimes because I am a Muslim. Some have a very sterotypical image of India when they say we Indians are dirty or no nothing but producing babies. The word spreads around and soon other co-workers start sayinig the same thing - ie., whatever their mind thinks. Other times they say very offensive things against Islam such as wishing to blow up sacred places in my religion. One of them said that his solution to world's problems is to kill all Muslims.

I have never confronted any of them to defend myself as I do not want to mess up any relationships or ruin mine or my religion's image. I have been ignoring their "jokes" so far but they are not tolerable anymore. Most of the co-workers have never been outside of the US and are not exposed to foreigners. They learn about Islam / Muslims / India from CNN, MSNBC, FOX news.

My question is: What does the law say about a case like this? What are my options to set the record straight? This has started happenning since after 9/11 and is getting worse month after month.

Please advice.
Click to expand...
 
Sai is right, you have to write to your manager. You might need all those proof when you sue them in future. Recently a person from Kerala won a case against his employer for similar discrimination at work.
 
don't complain, go straight forward

That was too obviously against the law. Just keep in silent for another while to collect evidences and proofs, then directly go to a lawyer. You will win with 100%.

You don't want to complain to any of your bosses. Those nuts would erase what they have done to you and, next step, they will let you leave with their perfect excuses. Just file the lawsuit.
 
part of the problem

part of the problem is perhaps that you never stood up for yourself.
what do you mean they openly take a cheap shot at you and you "never confronted them"? do you just allow them to say those stupid things in your face?
if you do, they will think it's OK, you agree with them, they are right, etc.
if someone says to you that he thinks the solution is to kill all muslims just ask him to start with you. if you'd like, you may also add that you will defend yourself.
let's see if he is going to kill you or not. chances are, he'll shut his trap and never say anything stupid like that.
i think you are just too polite and too nice of a person and people take advantage of that. Most of the people in US (with the exception of big cities) are raised in very "safe" environments. Most of the confrontations are vocal (sometimes behind your back) or people sue each other. If you challange people openly (i assume you are in the Northern part of the country) in their face they'll probably just appologize and reallize what they are doing is wrong and they will not do that again. Or they will make some rude comments but will still avoid doint anything stupid in the future :)
In other words, just ask them . . . do you really believe in what you say? If so, are you willing to go? :)
 
if what you are saying is true then

(1) Buy a slim digital voice recorder from Best Buy (don't be cheap buy one with lotsa memory) and a small microphone to record
(2) It is getting colder now so wear a light fleece at work
(3) Put the recorder in your left pocket and run a wire to the mike in your right sleeve or lapel (if mike small enough)
(4) put your hand in your left pocket and casually turn the switch on whenever you anticipate a racist conversation coming
(5) try to identify the prick(s) in the recordings by saying "hey bob - how are you ?" or stuff like that
(6) Go home every night and download the recordings into a PC
(7) once you feel confident about the amount of damaging material you have, contact a lawyer (preferably a shark) who will take the company to the cleaners for 30-40% of the settlement
(8) make sure you find another job before (7)
(9) you could be a multi millionaire if you do it right
(10) I wish my colleagues are that upfront instead of being closet racists
(11) I can't believe any company can be that stupid in this day and age so I find this story hard to believe
(12) If you can't do this - get me a job there, I need seed money for my startup
(13) good luck
(14) I will stop numbering stuff now
 
good idea too bad i'm not muslim

i'd join in on it for the money too :)

you have to also show that your management was ignorant to your problems, otherwise you can't sue the company but just individual people (that's not going to give you much money).
So, i'll add
15) document the fact that management repeatetly ignored your attempts to get situation corrected or even better participated themselvs and/or encouraged others to participate.
 
good point on (15), send emailed complaints to racist pricks in the management who you know will not do anything to defuse the situation and keep printouts of the emails.
 
Thanks

Thanks for everyone's valuable inputs. I really do appreciate it.

I have not spoken to the management yet and they are not aware of it. Perhaps that is the first thing to do formally (via email).

Once again, I have not confronted the offensive co-workers because anything I say could be taken/used against me and hence do not want something stupid to slip out of my mouth that would further hurt me.

There are only 5 men who are in this situation in all of the company. Three of them have been in the US defense services and have what they call as "hawkish-conservative views". While they are all friendly at other times, when they chat about hot topics during during office hours, they all single me out. Anyway, if they are true friends, then they wouldn't mess around.

Thanks a lot of the advice / information!
 
indianh1b,

As far as i know these things are you cannot report directly to relegious rights.

First step follow the "waytoolong" procedure.

Capture all the voices from them.

Second step dont reveal these things to your management. It will put you trouble they might say that you also recording the confedential information in meetings and passing it other people.


1) Write an email to your manager,mark a copy to HR manager(asst, Dept head) as well as your regional or area manager if you have any and also mark a copy to you too.

2) Dont forget to check READ and delever conformation messages.

3) If possible take their print outs and also get them inform of soft copy format (like outlookmessageattachment, you can read this message from any microsoft out look , it cannot be altered )

If theings are not settled with 3) step at that time use step 1).

good luck
 
James Bond could learn a trick or two, by visiting this thread
:)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Its really tough working in this kind of environment. I can feel your pain.

Its good idea to cc hr manager & all but instade of cc make it bcc so that the person who receives it won't see to whom you have cc'd it.

my 2 cents.
 
Why do you feel pain ? I don't understand.
When all Muslim countries, openly SHOUTINg aloud to "kill" all americans - and all these are being shown live in TVs - eventually any body gets hurt. When they equate all americans as anti-muslims, there is nothing wrong in intrepreting all muslims as anti-american

Atleast Americans started throwing words
Not bombs at you :D

If the Americans behave in a similar manner as you do - then things would have been totally different on American Soil.
YOu never get hired, allowed, talked
more over may be teenagers throw stones at you
 
Re: if what you are saying is true then

Illegally recorded information can not be presented in the court of law.



Originally posted by waytoolong
(1) Buy a slim digital voice recorder from Best Buy (don't be cheap buy one with lotsa memory) and a small microphone to record
(2) It is getting colder now so wear a light fleece at work
(3) Put the recorder in your left pocket and run a wire to the mike in your right sleeve or lapel (if mike small enough)
(4) put your hand in your left pocket and casually turn the switch on whenever you anticipate a racist conversation coming
(5) try to identify the prick(s) in the recordings by saying "hey bob - how are you ?" or stuff like that
(6) Go home every night and download the recordings into a PC
(7) once you feel confident about the amount of damaging material you have, contact a lawyer (preferably a shark) who will take the company to the cleaners for 30-40% of the settlement
(8) make sure you find another job before (7)
(9) you could be a multi millionaire if you do it right
(10) I wish my colleagues are that upfront instead of being closet racists
(11) I can't believe any company can be that stupid in this day and age so I find this story hard to believe
(12) If you can't do this - get me a job there, I need seed money for my startup
(13) good luck
(14) I will stop numbering stuff now
Click to expand...
 
The laws in this country are very strict when it comes to discrimination or harassment. Your case is a perfect case for any lawyer to take up. Before you decide to go with a lawyer lodge a complaint with HR and don't worry about being fired. If you are fired and a case if filed, your employer will be in hot soup. DOJ won't let them get away easily.
Company HR departments are very very strict about these kind of activities as there could be very damaging to a company.
 
Re: Re: if what you are saying is true then

Originally posted by tyzh
Illegally recorded information can not be presented in the court of law.
Click to expand...

not true - depends on state laws, e.g. in most states including virginia you need only one party's consent to record any conversation and it is allowable in court. Remember Linda Tripp ?

Don't talk about stuff you don't know about.
 
Thanks again

I truely appreciate everyone's advice and wish that this DOES NOT happen to others, including to 1amShantanuB.
 
Please ignore IamShantanub comments he sometime acts like a jerk.

The bottomline is you should take the case to your manager and if he doesnot take action report it to your local labor department, recently the person who killed a Sikh person was convicted by the jury the bottomline is NOT EVERYONE IS JERK BUT THERE ARE SOME, take the example of IamShantanuB..

Good luck...
 
Take it ease!

Although I disagree with 1amShantanuB, what he said is reality. Some religious people don't pay respects to other people's religions. That's why people are killing each other.

I believe that you should explicitly tell your colleagues that you don't like what they did before you take any legal action. Most Americans are polite but like to make fun of other people, such as their presidents, celebrities, or anyone who doesn't mind. But they will stop it if you tell them.

I am not a religious person and may not be able to feel what you felt. Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience.
 
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