The Michigan chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed an order by Judge Gershwin Drain of the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan denying U.S. Steel Corporation’s Motion for Summary Judgement finding that the plaintiff, Jalal Muflihi, has produced enough evidence to proceed to trial.
In his complaint filed in 2022 by CAIR-MI, the Yemeni American Muslim alleges that he was discriminated against while working at U.S. Steel’s Great Lakes Work location when he was harassed by co-workers and a supervisor, denied training and overtime opportunities and was retaliated against when he complained to human resources and the corporate ethics hotline about the discrimination.
SEE: Arab American sues U.S. Steel over discrimination, termination at Ecorse plant
In a motion asking the court to dismiss the case, U.S. Steel argued that Muflihi had not met his burden of providing evidence that he was discriminated against or had a loss of overtime and training opportunities. However, Judge Drain in his Opinion and Order found that Muflihi had put forth ample evidence, including firsthand witness accounts, that he was subjected to daily harassment by coworkers who called him a “terrorist” and the “shoe bomber” and that U.S. Steel’s human resources manager knew about the harassment and took no action and that Mr. Muflihi may have been disciplined after filing complaints.
In a decision finding that Muflihi had presented sufficient evidence that a jury could conclude that he was terminated for discriminatory and unlawful reasons Judge Drain, in his opinion stated, “Plaintiff was terminated after filing his complaints based on a shoddy investigation into a retiree’s complaints,” and as such “He has set forth a prima facie case of retaliation under Title VII and the ELCRA.”
“CAIR-MI welcomes Judge Drain’s decision allowing the discrimination case against U.S. Steel to proceed to a jury trial. His decision shows that even large corporations cannot act with impunity when they allow employees to be harassed and retaliated in the workplace,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid. “Mr. Muflihi went to work every day trying to earn an honest living to support his family and was targeted for harassment by fellow co-workers based on his national origin and Islamic faith. No person should have to suffer daily insults from coworkers and then face discipline and termination while their requests for equality and safety are ignored. U.S. Steel should answer for the harm that they have caused Mr. Muflihi, and the decision of Judge Drain gives him the opportunity to bring them to justice.”
“With Judge Drain’s order sending Mr. Muflihi’s case to trial, U.S. Steel will have to defend their lack of response to Mr. Muflihi’s requests for help with pervasive harassment from co-workers and will have to explain how they failed to act to protect Mr. Muflihi from discrimination in light of several co-workers writing letters to their human resources department detailing the daily discrimination faced by Mr. Muflihi,” said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure. “Mr. Muflihi has already proven that he was wrongfully terminated, now he will prove that the basis of his termination was in retaliation for his complaints to management about his treatment at the hands of his co-workers and supervisor.”
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure, (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com