Muslim woman sues Goodwill for alleged workplace discrimination

Muslim woman sues Goodwill for alleged workplace discrimination
by NewStandard Staff

Nov 24 - A Virginia woman has filed racial discrimination charges against Goodwill Industries after her former boss allegedly refused to allow her to wear a religious headscarf at work and then fired her.

In her court filing, as reported by the Roanoke Times, Jennifer Abdelwahed, a convert to Islam, said that her boss told her she could not wear a hijab at work because she had not been wearing one when she was hired. On a separate occasion, according to the filing, Abdelwahed asked why her coworker was allowed to wear a bandanna on his head but she could not wear a headscarf. Abdelwahed alleges that her boss told her it was because "we are not at war with him."

Goodwill's stated purpose is to serve "people with workplace disadvantages and disabilities by providing job training and employment services, as well as job placement opportunities and post-employment support," according to the organization's website. Abdelwahed worked at a store which generates revenues used for that mission.

But the organization denies that discrimination was involved in Abdelwahed's subsequent firing, which the company says was for being late to work.

Abdelwahed is suing to get her job back, lost pay, compensation for suffering and attorney's fees.


Source: The NewStandard

Goodwill website

The NewStandard