Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with discrimination

"Don't hire her, she's pregnant. You will need to train someone new in June when the baby is due. Not a wise move"

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:27:33 -0800

Please help me analyse this workplace drama. I feel betrayed by my friends and discriminated against for being pregnant. Please help me get my head around this situation. Sorry about the "chick drama" nature of it.

I have struggled to get pregnant for about a year now, and through the IVF process I confided in two good friends at work, let's call them Bea and Lori. Bea and Lori have been enquiring about the status of my uterus frequently and with great interest, so when I did fall pregnant I confided in them and shared my joyful news. I asked them to be very discreet about it (as you do), due to the high risk of miscarriage early on but also because I am in a vulnerable position at work and am scared of losing my rights to maternity leave. I said specifically to not tell bosslady Vicky, because although Vicky is a mutual friend and a kind boss, she incidentally has connections to a number of areas in my professional and personal life where I did not want the news of my baby to leak out. Bea and Lori crossed their hearts and promised not to tell Vicky or anyone else.

Fast forward to now, I am 10 weeks pregnant, and just found out that bosslady Vicky was considering offering me a job within the large company I already work, but a different department (one that I much prefer to where I currently am). Vicky consulted with Lori and Bea, who together made the shocking decision to tell Vicky that I was pregnant. Bea, backed up by Lori, basically said "Don't hire her, she's pregnant. You will need to train someone new in June when the baby is due. Not a wise move". I am 99% sure that the "agreement" to tell Vicky was instigated by Bea. When I met Lori today I could tell something was up, and it didn't take me long to get her to confess. She was ever so sorry, and close to tears. I really care about Lori as a friend, she has been such an angel up until now. She begged me not to tell Bea or Vicky that she confessed. I would like to tear Bea's head off - much more so than Lori's.

Before I (potentially) take this any further, or go over it in my head for the nth time, I need some input from you guys.

Was I stupid and naive to trust these friends?

Is this what you would call a gross betrayal? It bloody well feels like it.

In your life, is loyalty to your work > loyalty to your friends?

Bonus LegalFilter question: Would this situation be grounds for any kind of lawsuit or official complaint? Obviously I wasn't offered the job because I'm pregnant. Discrimination, right? I am in Australia (Vic), but any legal advice is appreciated.

Can I complain about a doctor online?

arcticwoman — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:45:12 -0800

I had an absolutely terrible incident with a homophobic doctor. I have taken all the steps to report him to the local College of Physicians and Surgeons, and I hope he gets disciplined, but that doesn't address the systemic problem of homophobia in family physicians in my area (and it doesn't help me find a less homophobic doctor to switch to). I would like to blog about the incident, contact gay and lesbian associations, etc, but I am worried about being sued for libel/slander/I don't know. Will I get in trouble if I write publicly about this incident? Can I use the Dr's name? I'm in Alberta, Canada.

You've got to be carefully taught

pseudostrabismus — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:55:36 -0800

A friend is teaching a "Multicultural Education and Identity" class in a high-school setting, and asked me for advice, so I'm asking you, hive. I would like a broad spectrum of anti-discrimination educational resources and materials, for ages 12-adult. Interested particularly in racism, classism, able-ism, and privilege. My friend wants to spice up lectures with visuals, videos, articles, and other supplementary materials. He's looking for a variety of stuff, including, but not limited to, the following:

Some sample topics:
- respectful discussions of privilege
- helpful ideas for privileged people to navigate the world fairly
- ideas for PoC and whites to address racism in real life
- internalized racism, beauty standards, etc.
- reverse racism and whether or not it exists
- racist tropes in pop culture, media bias, etc.
- clear & engaging definitions of key terms and supporting statistics

Ideal Materials could include anything, really: blog posts, articles, essays, YouTube videos, songs, short films, art, visuals, quizzes, interactive activities, stand-up comedy, whatever.

Tone:

- Would really prefer to avoid snark and condescension. Sites like Derailing for Dummies, for instance, have fantastic information, and are fun for PoC to read, but tend to alienate the very people they intend to educate. I absolutely understand how frustrating these issues can be (first hand... believe me) but ideally we'd want these materials to be inclusive, not accusatory.

- On the other hand, we would love stuff like The Deal With Disability, which was recently featured on the blue. Eva's a tiny bit snarky, yes, but her humour and her very unusual vantage point more than make up for it. So I guess SOME snark is okay, if it's thought-provoking rather than abrasive.

Other resources I think would be great, to give more examples:
Chris Rock's "Good Hair"
Kiri Davis' "A Girl Like Me"
"A Class Divided"
Peggy MacIntosh's "Invisible Knapsack"
the Harvard Implicit Association quizzes
Heidi the Sugarmonster's article about why she chose to have weight-loss surgery
Even small doses of pop culture phenoms like Borat and Russell Peters, who sometimes cross the line but could still provide good seeds for discussion.

... More, like those would be really helpful. Thanks in advance!

Does anyone have any concrete examples of how "undue burden" is determined for a county government under the ADA?

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:53:28 -0800

Does anyone have any concrete examples of how "undue burden" is determined for a county government under the ADA? Yes, YANAL, but: a deaf friend who works for a county government was denied an interpreter at a mandatory equal opportunity training (irony lovers, rejoice).

I can't find anything specifically giving examples of how undue financial burden is determined in a case like this.... I did find that the county government is bound by the ADA, and that the type of and cost of the accommodation are considered in light of the overall financial resources of the facility or facilities involved in the provision of the reasonable accommodation, but nothing specifically detailing what expense would be acceptable as compared to a county budget.

How would you go about finding that sort of information? Would it require looking into court records of cases brought against local governments?

My friend's rather shaken up, her comfort around administration considerably lowered.... But she's interested less in grievance than in correction, if it can be forced.

Can a job ad demand that you send a picture of yourself to be considered?

secretsecret — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:14:23 -0800

Is it legal for a job ad to say they will only consider applicants who include a picture of themselves, even if the job has nothing to do with interacting with customers or the public? I found a job ad for craigslist that is basically looking for someone to list a large quantity of items in their ebay store. At the end of the ad they say:

Please forward me with a picture if possible, otherwise i will not consider you for this position.

Is this legal? I'm not applying for a job as a promotional model, or the hostess at a restaurant, so what do my looks have to do with it? And how can you ask for something like that, and then pretend that you're not discriminating against people based on looks?

This is not the first time I've seen someone say they only will consider applicants that send a picture--I've seen large, more legitimate companies say this to.

Multilingual job listings required?

Aleen — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:41:58 -0800

Discrimination filter: Must a company which has both an english and a spanish version of its website have job postings in both languages? Details follow. I work for a business that provides a service to companies in the United States and Puerto Rico. Business is conducted in english in the continental US and mostly (though not completely) in spanish in Puerto Rico, as may be obvious. We need to know if we are legally required to put job listings in both languages on both versions of the site, regardless of the location we are hiring. To date, all of our job listings are in english and are only linked on the english version. The majority, if not all of the people we have hired in Puerto Rico were recruited through an employment agency, if that matters.

You are not our/a lawyer and other standard disclaimers apply, of course.

Careers in the dim future

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:16:51 -0800

I have some long term degenerative eye problems that may result in blindness over the next 10-20 years. What are some fields in which I could prosper despite this potential handicap? I have seen a number of eye doctors about the condition and there are no current treatments likely to change the progression of the disease. I have made my peace with this eventuality and am not depressed about it.

I'm in my mid-thirties and currently do light programming and sysadmin work in the healthcare field, but am looking for a change. Possibilities include law, clinical trials work, biostatistics, or some type of software implementation work. The job needs to pay reasonably well to keep up with increasing healthcare costs as time goes on. I am not an extrovert but enjoy interacting with people.

Possible workplace discrimination to mental illness

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:43:12 -0800

What should I do about possible discrimination to mental illness with my current employer? Let me just start by saying I realized that the economic slump has made it hard for many people to keep a job or find one, and my employer recognizes this too.

We recently had a major lay off, around 130 people of our 400 person workforce was cut. In this cut some people were moved to new locations in the building.

When I was hired and up until the lay offs I had an office, with a desk, that wasn't exactly 'in the contract' (I'm not contracted), but it was a stated in the interview and when I was hired.

I suffer from clinical depression, about three years ago I had a family member be murdered in the work place, shot three times in the back of the head. When we were moved as a result of layoffs, etc I was placed into a room with five other people; and my location put me in the room placed me in a corner with my back to the door, along the main hallway of our workplace. And no the door doesn't close.

It drove me nuts, paranoia crazy. This isn't exactly my employers fault, I understand their side. I went to my psych. and explained everything and they put me on some meds to help it. They weren't helping, so I then went to my employer and explained everything, many occasions, and they went ignored.

Eventually it came to the point where I did a lot of my work from home only being in the office 4 - 6 hours a day. Mind you I still produced about 50 hours of work a week. Then one day I am called into my boss's office. I am given a warning and told if I do not physically be at my desk for at least eight hours a day I would be fired.

I was floored, I explained to them and HR rep who was in the room everything I had been conveying and it went ignored. They said tough, sit there eight hours or be fired. I showed them the ADA, and they took it to legal, then came back and moved me to a new location...which is all I wanted.

However, now they haven't stopped harassing me. First they explained that I would be monitored coming and going on video, which is fine with me, I have nothing to hide and they can use their equipment however they would like with in reason.

But then they said I would be forced to use a biometric punch clock and if I refuse, I would be terminated. (Mind you I'm salary and have never punched a clock ever).

I explained to them that I wouldn't start punching a clock and be punished for something unless EVERYONE had to punch a clock. They again went to legal and came back and pulled that off the table.

Afterward a few managers made it clear to me in not so many certain terms that they will 'find a way to make me quit'.

Here's the thing. I know ultimately this is just all extremely crazy (no pun intended). I have no qualms about being in my chair eight hours a day, I don't think anyone should unless there are circumstances stating so. But I explained to them on more than one occasion my issues with where I was sitting and why, and even had medical documentation that stated my issue.

I can't just up and quit, I have a family to support. However, since the issues with my employer things have been awful. I do now sit in a cube, not in a room in the main hallway with my back facing the door, but all my work duties have been taken away. I am no longer put on any calendar invites for things and no one hands me out work. I sit here eight hours a day doing absolutely nothing. (It's not as fun as some would think it is, I have limited internet access and reading a book at my desk would be a huge no no).

On one hand I feel guilty, that I've done something wrong and if I quit (I also wouldn't be eligible for any type of government assistance (i.e. unemployment) I'm simply telling my family I can't support them for a short time because I can't sit my bottom in a chair and get paid to do nothing for eight hours a day.

But the other hand I feel like the company is now making me miserable after I pointed out their issues.

I did file a complaint with the EEOC, but that will take months, and it's not as if they will do much. Also the EEOC notifies my employer of the complaint including my name, and I've informed my employer I filed a complaint with the EEOC, not sure if they took me serious, they asked for a copy of it and I told them it would come from the EEOC.

What should I do?

Can i sue a cruise line for discrimination ?

scottbass — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:05:03 -0800

Can i sue a cruise line for discrimination ? They said i'm too fat to be hired. I'm 5'10" 240lb.

Are my gay Canadian friends married or not?

nax — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:26:32 -0800

The shameful and shameless adoption of Prop 8, as discussed here, makes me wonder. What happens if a legally married gay couple from Canada moves to the US? Doesn't international law obligate us to recognize that marriage? What about a plural marriage from a muslim country that allows it?

Can my client ask me to send pictures of employees for her review?

urbanette — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:05:10 -0800

How can you hire people based on looks? Isn't that illegal? More information - I'm working for a client who insists on seeing pictures of the promotional reps that my company hires to represent her business. She's a marketing manager for a large technology firm and we are doing a campus tour to promote one of her devices shortly. She's requests 'rep cards' including photos and resumes of the promo reps to ensure that they aren't in her words 'beer girls'.

I've never had this request from a client before. Obviously you hire a certain look for projects like beer or sports promotions, but I thought we were specifically prohibited from asking potential hires for photos. This isn't a casting. They have to stand around and hand out cards.

Oh I'm in Canada - specifically Ontario.

Am I right? Is this an offside request? The client will meet all the reps in the training session but she's concerned about regions where she can't attend the sessions in person.

Could disclosing my ethnicity be used against me?

bumblebeat — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:01:39 -0800

Can a US employer require a job seeker to disclose race and gender before granting an interview? I've just applied for a job, and the first contact I've received from the internal recruiters is an email link to a voluntary self-identification form. The form prompts me to indicate my gender and ethnic group(s) and also gives me the choice to not disclose.

I would have no problem disclosing my ethnicity under different circumstances, but really don't like the idea of having to do so so early in the recruitment process. Can't help but wonder if this information will really be kept separate from my application. (Why else would they want this information now?)

I'm concerned about being labeled before speaking with them.
I'm concerned that one of my race checkboxes may be overrepresented in the company and industry.
I'm concerned that my other race checkbox may also be overrepresented, disliked, whatever.
I hope I am just overthinking things.

My question: Should I select my race and take my chances or be a troublemaker and choose not to disclose? Also, how common is this practice? I otherwise respect this well-known company, really want the job, and do want to be as helpful as I can. Thanks!

What, if anything, should I do about the possibly unethical and definitely scummy behavior of my boss?

Mimzy — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:16:05 -0800

What, if anything, should I do about the possibly unethical and definitely scummy behavior of my boss? I work in a small-ish office that has gone through several staff changes recently. Most recently, someone was hired and then quit after a month, mostly due to frustration with our boss (she had to deal with him a LOT more than I did).

She and I became friends, despite a pretty big generation gap, and I was really sorry to see her do, but I knew we'd continue to hang out, etc.

On a side note, after praising her skills to my husband (she was an excellent choice for her job even though she and the boss did not get on, very competent, self-starter, etc. I'm not exaggerating because we're friends), hubby gave her a call and hired her the very next week. Boss got very miffed at this and has sulked about it ever since.

(I'm finally getting to the unethical behavior, i promise). I found out today that, after she quit, boss told her that she could not have any contact with members of our office. I can understand not gabbing with her on the phone or writing emails back and forth all day, but he can't actually DO this, right? He can't tell me who I can and cannot talk to out of work hours.

This is the sixth or seventh time I've caught him in a lie to the staff, discrimination of some sort towards a staff member, or general unethical behavior. I don't know what to do. Please don't suggest I quit my job--just can't.

I've started keeping a journal of things that have happened, just to protect myself, but is there something else I should be doing? I work for a state agency, is there some recourse that will allow me to bring these things up without either getting fired or having to, from that point on, work in a hostile environment?

To wig out or not to wig out?

Rosie M. Banks — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:30:15 -0800

I was diagnosed with cancer, treated and pwned it and am now job-hunting. With one-half inch of solid gray hair on my head. Should I suck it up and plop on a wig? Back in February, in the midst of job-hunting, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Naturally, that brought my job search to a screeching halt while I had surgery, chemo, and radiation. I continued to go to school full time (I'm in a Master's program).

Now that cancer has been pwned and I'm no longer feeling like yuck from my treatments, I'm ready to go out and find work again. I feel great, have most of my energy back, and have a naturally upbeat and cheerful disposition anyway. Alas, I also have one-half inch of solid gray hair on my head.

It's a very pretty, face-flattering gray (steel gray, not yellow gray) and I get lots of compliments from random strangers (as well as more male attention than I ever got with my long, carefully tended hair - go figure!). Very short hair is also a good look for me. When I have on makeup, earrings and nice clothes, I look great if I do say so myself.

However, I'm only in my early 40's so the gray is premature, and its extreme shortness pretty much proclaims "I just had chemo!" I'm educated and skilled, and I'm not looking for work in glamorous or youth-oriented fields. I do, however, worry about possible age and disability discrimination - I'm not "disabled" but I might make healthcare premiums shoot up because I've had cancer. Aside from the gray hair, I'm of average weight and look quite young for my age. If I looked like Helen Mirren, I wouldn't worry. But alas, I'm not Dame Helen, and I worry about the impression gray hair gives.

If I have to, and it really will make a difference to my job hunt, I'll suck it up and wear a wig, though I don't like it. So what do you think? To wig out, or not to wig out? And if not, any tips on how to look snappy and professional with very short gray hair will be much appreciated.

Pregnant women need not apply.

Gamblor — Mon, 07 May 2007 08:59:50 -0800

Can a landlord refuse to rent an apartment to someone because they're pregnant? My wife is pregnant, and we're looking for a larger apartment for the baby. I found a great place in our neighborhood, we were the first to see it, and the first to submit an application. There were no problems with the application: I have great credit, a good paying job, and several recommendations. The owner said he really liked us. Then he gave the apartment to someone else because the people who would be living below us said they didn't want to get woken up by a crying baby. Those were his exact words.

I'm pretty sure this is illegal, but I'm not sure what to do next. Does anyone know what to do in a case like this? This is in Brooklyn, if that matters.

My significant other and parent both work at same company, SO parent is about to sue company, now what?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 23:29:53 -0800

Lawsuit Filter: So my significant other and significant others parent both work for the same company. SO's parent might be suing said company for age discrimination (and has a very good case). SO is worried about being blacklisted and/or targeted. How much should I and SO worry? Could SO also sue if SO is targeted because of the suit or at that point even join the lawsuit? I know (most of you are) not a lawyer but at least point me in the right direction. I should also mention this is a smaller size company not a major corporation. Everyone knows the relationship.

What is the legal justification for the US drinking age of 21?

Mitheral — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:20:27 -0800

In light of this NYC graffitti law being struck down what is the legal justification for the US drinking age of 21? I realize their isn't a free speech angle in the consumption of alcohol. However aren't there laws about equal protection and age discrimination?

Bonus question: are there other activities in the US that are only legal for a subset of age of majority members besides eligibility of becoming President?

PS: I know the political (college kids don't vote and their parents do), moral (drinking is bad) and societal (it's for the children) arguments. I'm just interested in the reasoning the drinking age hasn't been reduced to the age of majority through legal action. IE: Why is the status quo constitutional?

Am I being discriminated against?

libraryhead — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:07:39 -0800

I just had a great job interview, and I should be a lock for this job. But I'm worried they might not hire me because I have a baby. Is this sex discrimination? I'm not keen to sue someone -- and, who knows, I may yet get an offer -- but some lines of questioning at my job interview this afternoon got me worried I may be about to be discriminated against.

This is a great job and I would be great for it. Overall, the interview went very well. When going over my background, I matter-of-factly explained that I've been out of the workforce for the last seven months since having a baby. They then went on to ask if the travel required for the position would be a problem, with a little one at home. I said no. The baby came up several more times in the interview, however, and now I can't help but think they've decided I won't be dedicated enough to the job since I have an infant at home.

I hope I'm wrong, and they're fine with the baby and make me an offer. If they don't, however, would this sort of thing qualify as sex discrimination? I doubt anyone would be similarly reticent about hiring the father of a young child. If it is hiring discrimination, how would I prove that? Is there any documentation I should keep now, just in case?

This is in Massachusetts at a privately-held company with 40 employees.

Should I lie about being an atheist in order to get a job?

anotherpanacea — Mon, 08 May 2006 07:26:06 -0800

Should I lie about being an atheist in order to get a job? Is it okay to lie about your religion for the purpose of getting a job? I suspect it might be, in the same way I suspect that it is acceptable to lie about your sexual orientation when you know you will face discrimination. But I'm wondering if anyone has a good argument against "the religious closet." I'm particularly interested in: a. possible consequences if discovered, and b. strategies for justifying the lie to myself. In other words, will I open myself to a lawsuit of some sort, and am I going to be able to live with my lie?

Questions about religious discrimination in hiring.

Optimus Chyme — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 16:32:02 -0800

Questions about religious discrimination in hiring. First: I am an atheist. A neighborhood megachurch has a position open in my field, the current crop of applicants is weak, and someone who already works there let me know about it and put in a good word for me. My boss at my existing job is a Christian and we get along just fine, so I have no problem with the work itself. I'd be very interested in not having to drive to work and be close to home, and the work is the same thing I've been doing for years. What concerns me is the application material, quoted below.

"Qualifications:
- Have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
- Active member of [church]
- [experience relevant to the position, etc.]"

Note that this is not a ministerial position or teaching or anything to do with representing the church proper to the public. I am hurt and disappointed and pissed off that the Church materials demand a Christian for a position which anyone qualified could fill regardless of religion. If they ask about my religion, I'll be honest. Should I even go to the interview? Can I start a business and refuse to hire Christians? When did this change? I know they have lawyers; they just applied for and received an exemption to city building codes. I'm sorry if this is rambling, but I honestly am going in a million different directions here and I'm not certain what, if anything, I should do.

How do you teach "sensitivity" in the workplace?

kechi — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 13:07:20 -0800

I would like some input on the best way to teach "sensitivity" in the workplace The place where I work has a (not so) subtle air of discrimination and we are trying to change that. However, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do. I think that having some sort of workshop that both addresses some of the common issues that come up in our work environment and gets people talking about situations that make them uncomfortable would be fabulous. However, I've been told by a couple people that discussions just get people confused and it's better to have someone come in and simply state the policies on harrasment to scare people into submission.

Typical situations that need to be addressed are:
- racist jokes
- pornography in offices/meetings
- ass grabbing
- comments about people being hired to "fill a quota"

I am interested in getting input from you as to workshops you've attended to try and get ride of discrimination (gender/sexual orientation/race/etc). I'd love to know what works, what doesn't work, and how you think this problem is best addressed.

Are higher car insurance rates for males under 25 discimination?

Jomoma — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:56:28 -0800

How is charging more for car insurance to males under 25 not discrimination? I just hit the 25 mark and saw my rates go down, but I can't understand how it's not discrimination. I understand statistically males under 25 may be a higher risk, but what's the difference between charging more for us than charging more based on race, ethnicity or other factor that might have a statistic basis? My iBook's dictionary defines discrimination as " the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex". How is this legal?

Revenge for descpicable boss?

crapulent — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 14:21:35 -0800

My boss made some derogatory comments about Jewish people. I objected. As a result of my objection, I am now "laid off"... To make a long story longer, the events went something like this:

My boss was reading an e-mail from a customer. This particular customer had already contacted us several times regarding the pricing of our products. Upon reading this e-mail...

Boss: “Hmm. He must be Jewish.”

(I sat in stunned silence for a moment.)

Me: “Why did you say that he must be Jewish?”

Boss: “Oh, because that’s how Jewish people are. They will always try to get the best price. They will always try to get some special discount from you.”

Me: “Don’t you think that’s a little bit racist?”

Boss: “No, that can’t be racist. That’s a fact.”

Me: “A fact?! I think you mean that’s your opinion. That’s certainly not a fact.”

Boss: “No, that’s a fact. My friend told me that you have to watch out for Jewish customers because they will always try to get a special price, to pay the least amount possible.”

Me: "Well, that’s just your opinion. That’s certainly not a fact because not all Jewish people are like that."

Boss: “No! It’s just like Korean people. Korean people are the same way. Everybody knows that they are like this.”

Me: "You know what? You’re really offending me so I think we should just not talk about this anymore.”

I thought my boss would apologize to me after I had indicated that he had offended me. We had previously had a very friendly relationship. I barely saw him for the rest of that day and the next day was very awkward. He seemed uncomfortable in my presence.

The following day (two days after the incident) I was informed that I was being “laid off.” The reason given for this lay off was poor company performance.

Prior to this meeting there had never been any indication that the company was performing poorly or that my job was in danger. In fact, for the previous two weeks he and I had been in talks regarding new responsibilities that I was poised to undertake at the beginning of 2006. It was essentially a promotion and we had planned for him to begin training me right away.

Anyway, I am now unemployed. I've contacted the ACLU, the EEOC, the Human Rights Commission for my state, and a couple private attorneys. None of the organizations can help me because my former employer was a very small company and doesn't meet the requisite 6 employees to file suit. The private attorneys say my case will just cost me a ton of money (that I don't have) and will be extremely difficult to prove because I don't have any witnesses, evidence, etc.

I really feel that I was wronged for speaking out. I felt that staying silent would be the wrong thing to do and I don't regret it at all even though I essentially lost my job over it.

But what can I do now? I don't want him (or others like him) to be able to get away with this kind of behavior. Have I run the gamut of feasible options?

(And yes, I am aware that one cannot receive "real" legal advice on Metafilter.)

Godless heathen discrimination?

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 23:36:02 -0800

My 15-person department is getting its photo taken for a company newsletter (the company is an enormous multinational one with 120,000+ employees). We were told to wear "appropriate" clothing, and one co-worker was told specifically not to wear his white shirt that says ATHEIST across the front. He is, in fact, an atheist. Could he complain to HR? No one would tell a Christian not to wear their crucifix, so does it count as discrimination that my coworker was told he can't wear a shirt indicating his faith — or lack there-of?