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submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

A federal agency has sued the restaurant chain Chipotle, accusing it of religious harassment and retaliation after a manager at a Kansas location forcibly removed an employee’s hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged that in 2021, an assistant manager at a Chipotle in Lenexa, Kansas, repeatedly harassed the employee by asking her to show him her hair, despite her refusal. After several weeks, the harassment culminated in him grabbing and partially removing her hijab, according to the complaint.

The manager’s “offensive and incessant requests” that she remove her hijab, and his attempt to physically take it off, were “unwelcome, intentional, severe, based on religion, and created a hostile working environment based on religion,” the complaint alleged.

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[-] Coasting0942@reddthat.com 65 points 9 months ago

Should have been a sexual harassment lawsuit. Dude literally couldn’t hear the word “no” coming out of her mouth.

[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 30 points 9 months ago

I detest religion, but I absolutely believe it's wrong to violate someone's religious apparel. But you touched on what makes it even more vile. I knew there was something that made this feel worse and it's that a man felt secure violating the space of a woman. He should be charged for two violations. Thanks for articulating what I felt but couldn't quite find.

[-] sik0fewl@kbin.social 18 points 9 months ago

Ya, ripping off any clothing should be at least sexual harassment.

[-] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago

Ya, ripping off any clothing should be at least sexual ~~harassment~~ assault.

[-] FlowVoid@midwest.social 11 points 9 months ago

The federal government won't sue for sexual harassment, the employee would have to file a lawsuit herself.

[-] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago

Dude literally couldn’t hear the word “no” coming out of her mouth.

Oh he heard it, he just ignored it.

[-] stopthatgirl7@kbin.social 60 points 9 months ago

The employee complained to another supervisor that the incidents made her uncomfortable, but no further action was taken against the manager, the complaint said. One night during closing in August 2021, the manager allegedly reached out and pulled her hijab partially off her head.

That’s so infuriating - she reported the guy and nothing happened. Not until he tried to literally rip a piece of clothing off of her because he felt entitled to see her hair.

[-] Godnroc@lemmy.world 51 points 9 months ago

Forcefully removing an employee's clothes without consent. Yeah, seems like there should be consequences for that.

[-] calebcharles@slrpnk.net 39 points 9 months ago

You would think a hijab is more sanitary than hair in a food service place.

[-] thepianistfroggollum@lemmynsfw.com 26 points 9 months ago

There's no logic here. He wanted to control her and got pissed when it didn't work.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago

"Your hijab is not regulation. Here, have this much more exposed hairnet that does the same thing but not as well."

[-] Gork@lemm.ee 29 points 9 months ago

Chipotle's defense is probably going to be, "We're not responsible for the actions of individual franchise owners."

[-] 0110010001100010@lemmy.world 27 points 9 months ago

Fun (maybe?) fact, all Chipotle restaurants are corporate owned, they don't franchise.

[-] Gork@lemm.ee 15 points 9 months ago

Cool, didn't know that. That makes their court case stronger.

That's always been McDonalds defense.

"Oh, an employee took a shit in the deep fryer? We the McDonald's corporation will write a strong letter denouncing shitting in the fryer and will forward it to the franchise owner. Now go and eat our other shit."

[-] SeaJ@lemm.ee 6 points 9 months ago

Which, honestly, is understandable assuming they also take away the person's franchise rights. I doubt corporate policy is to have people remove hijabs.

this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023
348 points (98.3% liked)

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