Dallas, Texas, USA – The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), assisted by UNITED SIKHS, settled an employment discrimination case earlier this week against Champion National Security, a security firm that discriminated against Sukhdev Singh Brar. The EEOC sought compensatory and punitive damages when filing the employment discrimination action against the security company, after numerous consultations with UNITED SIKHS to understand the importance of kesh (unshorn hair) covered by a dastaar (Sikh turban) as one of the five articles of faith Sikhs are required to wear as an inherent practice of the Sikh faith. Champion National Security settled the case, acknowledging the discriminatory policy and agreeing to a written change in company policy with continued Sikh awareness training, to be provided by UNITED SIKHS. Champion National Security will also post anti-discrimination notices on all employee bulletin boards and compensate Sukhdev Singh $24,000.

“Sometimes discrimination that does not stem from direct hostility is nevertheless unlawful because a business has sought to satisfy prejudiced preferences projected on its clients," said Robert Canino, regional attorney for the EEOC's Dallas Office. "This was a situation in which accommodating the religious observance or practice presented no hardship to the business objective of providing private security."

UNITED SIKHS Director Gurvinder Singh commented, “We believe that it is pertinent to link like-minded organizations and provide a voice for minority communities. This victory sends a strong message that discrimination in any form will not be tolerated, as it tears into the very fabric of the American being. We thank the EEOC for its diligence and looks forward to this ever-important partnership to assist many others around the country to fight employment discrimination.” Gurvinder held a training session for the staff of the Dallas District Office of the EEOC in April of 2008, where EEOC Dallas Director Michael Fetzer acknowledged that strong action should be taken in cases like Sukhdev Singhs.

EEOC offices across the country, including Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, and D.C. have been receiving training from UNITED SIKHS in regard to the Sikh religion and the specific issues Sikhs face in the workplace. Communications between the EEOC and the Sikh community have been vital in getting the EEOC to take this case to the level it has reached. Awareness events taking place in various gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) around the nation have been particularly successful because people have actually reported incidents during the events, and the national EEOC office has recognized that Sikhs are at a great risk of being discriminated against in the workplace. UNITED SIKHS urges the Sikh community to continue to report incidents of discrimination of any kind, so that appropriate actions can be taken.