May 14, 2013 (Press-News.org) The disturbing story of a U.S. Army sergeant's painful odyssey through three tours of duty while enduring regular harassment because of her name illustrates just why federal civil rights law prohibits religious discrimination in federal employment. Through active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Sgt. 1st Class Nadia Christian Nova, formerly known as Naida Hosan, was the recipient of verbal abuse because of her then-last name's similarity to family names associated with the practice of Islam.
AP recently released a detailed feature story in which Nova, who is Catholic with family ties to Islam, discussed the challenging experience that included being the object of crude comments and that at one point made her depressed and suicidal. When she raised the issue of her treatment by her colleagues with her superiors, she says she was retaliated against, rather than supported.
She alleges that not only did her fellow soldiers engage in the harassing behavior, but also some military personnel higher in rank.
As a Farsi linguist in military intelligence, Nova is surely the type of person the U.S. military would find valuable in a soldier, since Farsi is widely spoken in Afghanistan and Iran. She alleges that when she complained about ethnically offensive jokes, she was told to "stop making trouble," after which she filed a formal administrative complaint against the Army's discriminatory and offensive working environment.
She was then ordered to take a mental health assessment, called in writing a "Muslim sympathizer," and transferred to Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Before another tour in Afghanistan, she changed her name in hope of deferring some of the negative treatment. However, when on duty she complained about military treatment of Muslim documents, she was told not to "bring [her] religion to work" and shortly thereafter sent back to the U.S.
According to the AP article, she then filed another complaint, this time with the Army's Inspector General, requesting a voluntary discharge based on her treatment. Instead, despite a positive performance review, her superiors tried to have her removed from the military and ineligible for reenlisting.
After exhausting her internal administrative remedies, she filed a complaint in federal district court for religious discrimination, requesting that the court enjoin the Army from discharging her. She reportedly settled the case after the military rescinded its disciplinary actions. She is about to depart for a new Army post in Germany and hopes to leave the terrible experience in the past.
Any federal employee, military or otherwise, who feels improperly or illegally discriminated against, harassed or retaliated against by his or her federal employer, should speak with an employment attorney with specific experience with cases in which the legal rights of federal employees were violated.
Article provided by The Devadoss Law Firm, P.L.L.C.
Visit us at www.fedemploymentlaw.com/
US soldier alleges harassment for association of her name with Islam
The disturbing story of a U.S. Army sergeant's painful odyssey through three tours of duty while enduring regular harassment because of her name illustrates just why federal civil rights law prohibits religious discrimination in federal employment.
2013-05-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Sex offender registration has dire consequences for juveniles
2013-05-14
Since the 1990s, every state in the U.S. has had laws requiring those convicted of certain sex offenses to register with local law enforcement and obligating police to make the information on the registries public. Many states, and some municipalities and counties within states, have laws prohibiting those on their sex offender registries from living in certain areas near schools, parks or other areas children frequent. These laws do not exclude juveniles convicted of sex offenses from registry requirements. A report from Human Rights Watch issued in May 2013 revealed the ...
Child pornography investigations often involve federal and state agencies
2013-05-14
Whenever an individual or individuals are arrested for child pornography offenses, there will often be a lot of concern in the community about the facts of the crime. People will want to know how the individual obtained the images or videos, especially if the person worked in a position of trust with children.
In many cases, these arrests receive a significant amount of attention in the media. This can have a negative influence on potential jurors, and make it difficult for individuals to present a strong defense against child pornography charges. Because these cases ...
Massachusetts court rejects economic loss rule in development claim
2013-05-14
Condominium associations scored a legal win late last year with a decision rendered by the Massachusetts Appeals Court in Wyman v. Ayer Properties, LLC, 83 Mass. App. Ct. 21 (2012). In the case, the court barred use of the economic loss rule thus ruling in favor of the association for losses allegedly sustained at the hands of a real estate developer.
What is an economic loss rule?
The economic loss rule bans recovery in a lawsuit when a product defect or a failure of that product causes damage -- economic loss -- only to itself and not to other products, property ...
Jury Awards $2.7 M Against Lawrence Livermore Lab for Wrongfully Terminating Long-Time Employees in 2008
2013-05-14
After two months of trial, on May 10, 2013, an Alameda County jury returned a verdict in Andrews, et. al. v. Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC., Case No. RG09453596 in favor of five plaintiffs in a lawsuit alleging that they were laid off in 2008 by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) in bad faith violation of their employment contracts. These first five Plaintiffs were selected by Judge Robert Freedman to be test cases in a lawsuit involving 130 Plaintiffs with similar claims. All the Plaintiffs are represented by Oakland's Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, ...
Atlanta Workers' Compensation Attorneys, Cummings & Middlebrooks, Discuss Handling Denied Claims
2013-05-14
In Georgia, the Atlanta workers' compensation attorneys at Cummings & Middlebrooks are well-versed in state law. And they know that insurance is required by all businesses with three or more employees. Of course it is to the benefit of the employer and their workers' compensation insurance provider to limit claims. Which is why it is in your best interest to be guided through the process by a qualified law with a reputation of successfully handling such claims.
Has Your Claim Been Denied?
Many times employees who are hurt on the job complete the appropriate forms ...
Atlanta Bankruptcy Experts, Clark & Washington, Discuss the 2,172 Bankruptcies in January
2013-05-14
The Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys, Clark & Washington, would like to take a moment to discuss the large number of bankruptcies the city of Atlanta greater Atlanta area experienced in January of this year. The bankruptcy attorneys in Atlanta note that the number was 2,172, which is a decrease, although still no reason to celebrate. It is important to remember that although the economy may be in better shape than it was a few years ago, it is by no means healthy. Record high unemployment rates continue to plague the nation, which has in turn led to heavier financial burdens ...
Antique Money Offers Old Money Value Guides on Website
2013-05-14
While searching through your grandfather's attic, you came across a trunk with some old money inside. You have no idea where to start in figuring out an approximate value on the bills.
Do Your Homework
Like many of us, your first instinct would be to sit down at your computer and see if you can find some helpful information online. There are several companies that buy old money that offer value guides on their web sites. Visit a few of them to get a general value. These guides can be very helpful, but remember that the values also depend on the condition of the bill ...
Atlanta Painters, The Painting Company, Point Out That Middle-of-the-Road House Paints Are Best
2013-05-14
If your house is starting to feel worn or drab, a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference. Finding a high-quality, yet affordable paint can be a chore, however. People often assume that you get what you pay for across the board. The Atlanta painters at The Painting Company point out that when it comes to good paint, the expensive brands don't actually outperform more reasonably priced options.
Consumer Reports recently evaluated 65 different paints and concluded that middle-of-the-road paint options performed the best. While none of the top picks were under ...
Medical Linen Service Angelica Corporation is Proud to Announce Its Green Initiative
2013-05-14
Healthcare linen provider Angelica Corporation is proud to announce its dedication to the environment through its green initiative. Their environmentally friendly practices have not only drastically reduced their facilities' water consumption, they have also diverted tons of recyclable material from the landfill.
Hospital laundry service Angelica Corporation's green initiative is a company-wide exercise in corporate responsibility. Their "Go Green" campaign has examined each facet of their operations to discover ways in which they can reduce their dependence ...
Savannah Moving Company, A.C. White, Can Help with Your Savannah Move
2013-05-14
A.C. White, a Savannah moving and storage company based on the north side of Savannah in Pooler, Ga., has provided moving services for homes and businesses since 1972. They serve Savannah and the areas surrounding it, including Brunswick, Fort Stewart, Garden City, Hinesville, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Rincon, Statesboro, Thunderbolt, Tybee Island, and Wilmington Island.
Residential and Business Moving
A.C. White Relocations' Savannah movers provide residential, business, and government moving services. As an experienced, family-owned Savannah moving company, they have ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
How to identify and prevent fraudulent participants in health research
Parents' attachment style may be linked with risk of parental burnout, especially when associated with difficulty in understanding and identifying their emotions
Abnormal repetitive behaviors in mice are associated with oxidative stress
Double disadvantage hurts more than twice as much
Paradox of rotating turbulence finally tamed with world-class ‘hurricane-in-a-lab’
Brain pathway may fuel both aggression, self-harm
Study: Macrophage “bodyguard” disruptors could change breast cancer treatment by helping to overcome endocrine resistance
New study reveals southern ocean’s winter CO₂ outgassing underestimated by 40%
U of A-led team discovers large ritual constructions by early Mesoamericans
MIT study finds targets for a new tuberculosis vaccine
Kono awarded American Physical Society’s Isakson Prize
Scripps Research team identifies sugar molecules that trigger placental formation
ITU at COP30: Driving Green Digital Action for a sustainable future
Want to be more persuasive? Talk with your hands, UBC study finds
Mount Sinai health system to roll out Microsoft Dragon copilot
Scientists map how the brain develops – and how it resolves inflammation
Triggering cell death in metastatic melanoma may pave the way for new cancer treatments
A path to safer painkillers – revealed by freezing opioids and their protein receptors in motion
Reducing reliance on corticosteroids with rituximab: renewed hope for adult-onset patients with relapsing nephrotic syndrome
Psilocybin outside the clinic – public health challenges of increasing publicity, accessibility, and use
Parent-teen sexual health communication and teens’ health information and service seeking
Two small changes, that may transform agriculture
New brain atlas offers unprecedented detail in MRI scans
Two main gene discovery methods reveal complementary aspects of biology
Blocking key protein triggers cancer cell self-destruction
Proposed all-climate battery design could unlock stability in extreme temps
Princeton’s new quantum chip built for scale
High risk of suicide after involuntary psychiatric care
From degradation to restoration: Remote sensing tracks Asia’s struggle for sustainable drylands
Can Israel feed itself? Economic model to rethink food self-sufficiency unveiled
[Press-News.org] US soldier alleges harassment for association of her name with IslamThe disturbing story of a U.S. Army sergeant's painful odyssey through three tours of duty while enduring regular harassment because of her name illustrates just why federal civil rights law prohibits religious discrimination in federal employment.