The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today filed a lawsuit against the City of Oak Park, a supervisor, and two coworkers on behalf of Tammara Saloum, a Muslim woman of Iraqi descent who was allegedly subjected to severe harassment and discrimination during her employment as a records clerk.
The lawsuit, filed in the Oakland County Circuit Court, alleges that Ms. Saloum was subjected to a hostile work environment that included degrading and discriminatory statements concerning her religious practices and Muslims generally, sexual harassment, and the improper disclosure of highly sensitive personal information.
According to the complaint, a city employee allegedly accessed Ms. Saloum’s confidential information through official databases available to that employee solely by virtue of their employment with the City and subsequently disclosed that information to others in the workplace. The lawsuit further alleges that, despite the city having notice of the discriminatory and harassing conduct, it failed to take meaningful corrective action.
“Every employee has the fundamental right to a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation,” said Jad Salamey, CAIR-MI Immigration and Civil Rights Attorney. “Ms. Saloum repeatedly reported the abuse she endured, and the city failed to take any meaningful action to protect her or stop the misconduct. This lawsuit seeks to hold the City accountable for its failure to uphold its legal obligations and to ensure that no other employee suffers this kind of mistreatment.”
“There is something deeply painful about dedicating your career built around safety and protection, only to discover that you do not feel safe or protected within it yourself. My experience in Oak Park made me reconsider not only my career choices, but my trust in the system I had believed in. I entered this profession believing doing the right thing mattered. I left questioning whether I still belonged in it,” said Tammara Saloum.
“Public employees should never have to choose between their livelihood and their right to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Amy V. Doukoure, CAIR-MI Lead Staff Attorney “When an employee is allegedly subjected to religious hostility, sexual harassment, and the disclosure of deeply private information—and the employer has notice yet fails to take meaningful corrective action—the harm extends beyond one individual. Public institutions must be held accountable for ensuring that discrimination and harassment are not permitted to become part of the workplace culture.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers a booklet, called “An Employer’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,” to help employers gain a better understanding of Islam and Muslims in the workplace.
CAIR-MI’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar
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CONTACT : CAIR-MI Immigration and Civil Rights Attorney, Jad Salamey (PHONE NUMBER) [email protected]; CAIR-MI Lead Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure (586) 943-8823, [email protected]