CAIR-Chicago Continues Litigation Against JBS Swift

Staff Attorney, Rabya Khan, of CAIR-Chicago was in Lincoln, Nebraska last week assisting with depositions on the JBS Swift Case. CAIR-Chicago is representing about 50 plaintiff intervenors in an U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discrimination lawsuit filed against JBS Swift in 2010.

In 2008, Somali Muslim workers at the JBS (Swift) Plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, requested their break time be used to perform Maghrib prayers and open their fasts for the holy month of Ramadan.  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates that employers must accommodate the religious practices of employees unless it causes the employer undue hardship.

Following a year-long investigation, EEOC made a finding, "Such accommodation would not have posed an undue hardship to Swift," concluding that the plant "subjected Somali Muslim Employees to unlawful harassment, disparate treatment, and discrimination in terms and conditions of employment based on their religion, national origin, race, and color."  As a result litigation ensued.

Khan, who will be traveling out of state in the coming months for more depositions, has been working tirelessly with the rest of the CAIR-Chicago team for the past several years to properly represent these victims who were denied their Constitutional right to practice their religion.

CAIR-Chicago has resolved approximately 1,875 cases of discrimination in the last six years.  Employment discrimination cases represent a majority of our total cases.

Our Civil Rights team cannot continue fighting this case without your help.  As litigation continues, our expenses keep rising.  Please support this important lawsuit with your contributions.