Mariko Yamada |

California Governor Jerry Brown (seated) signs AB1964 and SB1540 into law at a rally at the California State Capitol last Saturday. Assembly Member Mariko Yamada (standing left of the Governor), Dr. Onkar Bindra (standing right of the Governor) and Sikh Coalition Advocacy Manager Simran Kaur (far right) joined the Governor. (source: Instagram user i2theb)

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: Victories in employment equality

January 9, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In 2012, there were two significant achievements for Sikh Americans in the realm of employment discrimination on each side of the country: the decision by Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department to accept observant Sikhs as full police officers, and the signing of a workplace religious freedom act in California. Both achievements have the potential to act as precedents for further success in dealing with employment discrimination that Sikhs have faced in the United States due to lack of accommodation of […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: AB1964, California, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Employment Discrimination, Jerry Brown, Mariko Yamada, Metropolitan Police Department, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Top 5 Sikh American Stories, Washington DC, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

US DoJ investigating CA Department of Corrections over beard ban

November 8, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Earlier last year, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reached a settlement with Trilochan Singh Oberoi in his employment discrimination case against their refusal to hire him as a correctional officer unless he shaved his uncut beard, a Sikh article of faith. Despite reaching a settlement and offering Trilochan Singh a position elsewhere in the organization, the CDCR still would not change its policy. Where the discrimination lies is in that the CDCR had made medical exemptions for […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, CDCR, DOJ, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, Jerry Brown, Mariko Yamada, Trilochan Singh Oberoi, United States Justice Department, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

Picture of the Day: A new day for California’s Sikhs

September 11, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

At a rally at the California State Capitol on Saturday, Governor Jerry Brown signed two bills that would help combat discrimination particularly faced by Sikhs: the California Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB1964) and the History-Social Science Framework (SB1540). Joined by Assembly Member Mariko Yamada, who introduced AB1964, and Dr. Onkar Bindra, who championed SB1540, the Governor ushered in a new day for Sikh Californians, and set a precedent for such legislation across the country. Both laws take effect on January […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Picture of the Day, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, Dr. Onkar Bindra, History-Social Science Framework, Jerry Brown, Mariko Yamada, Sacramento, SB1540, Sikh Coalition, Simran Kaur, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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Respecting diversity in workplace also good for employers

July 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

David Briggs, of the Association of Religion Data Archives, writes an article about the benefits to employers when respecting religious diversity in the workplace. Often, employers are reluctant to acknowledge their employees’ faith in the workplace, but Briggs suggests that this may have a negative affect on productivity and morale: Researchers say more studies need to be done, but past work showing positive relations between faith and better physical and mental health indicate those same benefits could extend from factory […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, Association of Religion Data Archives, California, David Briggs, Diversity, Employment, Mariko Yamada, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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Workplace Religious Freedom in CA takes another step forward

June 27, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

After recently being approved by the California State Assembly, the proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB1964) took another step forward yesterday on the path to becoming law when it was passed by the State Senate Judiciary Committee: Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada was joined Tuesday by representatives from the interfaith and civil rights community as AB 1964, the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012, passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. AB 1964 strengthens the religious accommodation standard under the California Fair […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, California State Assembly, California State Senate, California State Senate Judiciary Committee, Employment Discrimination, Mariko Yamada, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act passes Assembly vote

May 29, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This afternoon, California’s proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB 1964 – mentioned previously here), introduced by Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, passed through the State Assembly: SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The state Assembly has approved a bill that would add more protections for religious freedom in the workplace, specifying that discrimination laws also apply to religious clothing and hairstyles. Lawmakers on Tuesday approved AB1964 by Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada. The Davis Democrat says she was upset to learn that Sikh and Muslim workers continue to face […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, California State Assembly, Mariko Yamada, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act heading to Assembly vote

May 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB1964) in California (discussed previously on this blog), sponsored by the Sikh Coalition, cleared its third milestone when it was approved by the California Assembly Appropriations Committee yesterday. AB1964 makes more clear the requirement of employers to accommodate the religious articles of faith of employees, and is meant to reduce discriminatory practices in the workplace. This issue has a direct bearing on Sikhs, who often face employment discrimination based on their articles of faith […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, California State Assembly, Mariko Yamada, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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Sikh Americans campaign to end racial profiling and protect workplace religious freedom

April 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Two Sikh American organizations are currently engaged in campaigns to help protect the religious freedoms of Sikhs and other minorities in this country from discriminatory practices: SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) is working for the passage of the federal End Racial Profiling Act. The Sikh Coalition is undertaking a campaign to have the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 passed in California. Both of these organizations are seeking public support to help pass these laws.

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, End Racial Profiling Act, HR3618, Labor and Employment Committee, Mariko Yamada, S1670, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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Picture of the Day: CA Assemblywoman Yamada announces workplace religious freedom bill

April 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

California Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada held a press conference yesterday at the Gurdwara in West Sacramento, California, alongside representatives of the Sikh Coalition, the Council of American-Islamic Relations – Sacramento Valley, and the local Sikh community to speak about the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 (also known as AB1964) – the legislation she introduced to the California State Legislature to bolster the protection of workplace religious freedom in California.

Categories: Civil Rights, Picture of the Day • Tags: AB1964, CAIR, California, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Mariko Yamada, Rosa Parks, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: Mariko Yamada

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: Victories in employment equality

US DoJ investigating CA Department of Corrections over beard ban

Respecting diversity in workplace also good for employers

Workplace Religious Freedom in CA takes another step forward

CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act passes Assembly vote

CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act heading to Assembly vote

Sikh Americans campaign to end racial profiling and protect workplace religious freedom

Picture of the Day: CA Assemblywoman Yamada announces workplace religious freedom bill