WRFA |

Recent tragedy in WI highlights need to pass proposed legislation

August 14, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The tragedy at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, has underscored the need for passage of bills and initiatives addressing the discrimination that particularly targets America’s Sikhs. There are several on-going campaigns whose demonstrable need has become heightened. If you live in California, there are two pieces of legislation that need your immediate support to move forward: The Revised Curriculum Framework Bill (source: SALDEF): “The Revised Curriculum Framework Bill was introduced in the California State Senate by Senator Hancock, and […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, FBI, FBI Hate Crime Statistics, Revised Curriculum Framework Bill, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

Bringing WRFA to California

February 28, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As discussed often on this blog, employment discrimination is still a challenge for many religious and visible minorities (such as Sikhs, who fall under both categories). According to the Sikh Coalition (a US-based Sikh advocacy organization): Sikhs suffer high levels of workplace discrimination because of their Sikh identity. Many are told to shave their beards; others are told to remove their turbans; some are told that they can only work out of public view. If enacted, WRFA would make it […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: 1964 Civil Rights Act, California, John Kerry, Mariko Yamada, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Title VII, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

Leave a comment

SALDEF campaigns for support of End Racial Profiling Act

October 20, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Many people would have received a notice from SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) asking to support the passing of Senate bill 1670 – End Racial Profiling Act of 2011. Stand up against Racial Profiling! Tell your Senators to vote for the End Racial Profiling Act NOW! http://t.co/wuULZJrk — SALDEF (@SALDEF) October 20, 2011 SALDEF provides information about the bill and provides an easy way to contact your relevant senators to ask them to support the bill. The bill has been introducted […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits, Politics • Tags: Ben Cardin, Dick Durbin, End Racial Profiling Act, John Kerry, Racial profiling, SALDEF, Senate, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

Leave a comment

WRFA II

December 27, 2010 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

US Senator John Kerry has introduced the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2010 to the US Senate. For Sikhs, this law has important implications: Under current law, employers are required to make ‘reasonable accommodations’ for the religious practices of their employees. Employers can bypass this requirement by showing that such accommodations would impose a minimal difficulty or expense on the employer’s business. WRFA would still allow employers to deny religious accommodations, but only by proving that such accommodations would constitute […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: 111th Congress, John Kerry, Richard Santorum, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: WRFA

Recent tragedy in WI highlights need to pass proposed legislation

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

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

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

Bringing WRFA to California

SALDEF campaigns for support of End Racial Profiling Act

WRFA II