• 10/17/2024

  Bullying Case Resolved

  October 17, 2024 (California) — As students, educators, and advocates observe National Bullying Prevention Month, the Sikh Coalition is pleased to share about our recent success in helping a young Sikh student in California who was being bullied in school. Though details for this case are anonymized to protect this individual from any possible retribution, we wanted to share more about the resolution—including how securing a safety plan and the implementation of training, rather than legal action, proved key.

  Since this young Singh began pre-school, he experienced various forms of bias-based bullying. The bullying against him, however, escalated severely when he entered high school within the same school district. Physical assaults often left Singh with a bloody nose and cut mouth, not to mention the emotional and psychological impact of repeated attacks. The scope of bullying he endured included comments about his Sikhi and ethnicity, having objects thrown at him, and even death threats.

  Due to the growing severity of the bullying and the lack of a direct plan to address the bullying from Singh’s school, he and his father sought legal assistance from the Sikh Coalition. Our attorneys sent a letter laying out the evidence for each bullying incident and arguing that federal and state law—as well as the school district’s own student and family handbook—obligated them to take action to stop bias-based bullying immediately.

  Shortly after the letter was sent, the principal reached out to the Sikh Coalition and a family for a meeting—not with hostility or indifference, but compassion. This young Singh now has a school safety plan in place, and the Sikh Coalition team is working with the school district on bullying prevention training for both teachers and students to happen later this fall.

  Even though this case started with our legal team sending a letter, it shows that there are many steps through advocacy and education that can be taken before the need for legal mediation or a disruptive lawsuit. As a reminder, these steps are laid out in our Step-by-Step Guide to Bullying for Sikh Parents. If you or someone you know is also facing bullying in school, reach out to our team for help; don’t forget to also take advantage of National Bullying Prevention Month to take easy advocacy action at both the federal and state levels towards making schools safer for all children.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 08/27/2024

  New Resource from Department of Justice

  August 27, 2024 (Washington, DC) — Following a victory in court this past June, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a one-pager clarifying that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) cannot continue to discriminate against peace officers who maintain facial hair for religious reasons.

  The one-pager explains that CDCR “must temporarily stop enforcing its no-beard policy against [peace officers] who ask to wear facial hair for religious reasons.” This includes requiring CDCR to discuss alternative jobs that peace officers can work with their facial hair or else allowing them to take paid leave, and it prohibits CDCR from taking any action against peace officers who are seeking to preserve their religious rights. These terms will remain in place until the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) completes its investigation into CDCR’s conduct.

  “This resource is extremely helpful for peace officers who are seeking to understand their rights as legal action against CDCR remains ongoing,” explained Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin. “The June preliminary injunction was a critical first step to stopping CDCR’s discrimination, and we want our clients—and all affected individuals—to understand the temporary, but significant, relief it provides.” 

  The DOJ’s victory, a preliminary injunction secured on June 20, came about after they first issued a challenge to CDCR on March 25. At that time, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke wrote that “Sikhs, Muslims, and employees of any faith should not be forced to choose between the practice of their faith and their jobs.” This challenge was a direct result of the DOJ’s close consultation with the Sikh Coalition and our legal allies, who have been fighting for the rights of Sikh, Muslim, Black, and other peace officers since a 2023 policy change by CDCR abruptly revoked all beard accommodations, including those granted for religious or medical reasons.

  As our collaboration with the DOJ continues, the Sikh Coalition also persists in our own legal campaign to address this issue. Over the past year and a half, we and our legal partners and co-counsel have retained eight clients who have suffered due to CDCR’s discriminatory policy. The charges of discrimination that we and our allies have previously filed with the EEOC on behalf of these clients should be a critical part of the abovementioned investigation. Learn more about all of our work on this case, dating back to February of 2023, here.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 07/01/2024

  California Court Rules to Pause Policy

  July 1, 2024 (Sacramento, CA) —As of June 20, the Sikh Coalition is pleased to announce that a court ruling has been issued to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) requiring the agency to pause its discriminatory policy of barring corrections officers from wearing beards.

  The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) pushed for this ruling, by calling for a preliminary injunction, against CDCR’s violation of peace officers’ civil rights at a hearing on June 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. As a reminder, the DOJ first announced their challenge to CDCR on March 25, with Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke writing that “Sikhs, Muslims, and employees of any faith should not be forced to choose between the practice of their faith and their jobs.” This challenge came after the DOJ’s close consultation with the Sikh Coalition and our legal allies, who have been fighting for the rights of Sikh, Muslim, Black, and other peace officers since a 2023 policy change by CDCR abruptly revoked all beard accommodations, including those granted for religious or medical reasons.

  “This preliminary injunction represents essential progress in stopping CDCR’s discriminatory behavior,” said Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin. “We hope that this ruling, which temporarily halts CDCR from prohibiting facial hair maintained for religious reasons, will be the first of many steps towards creating the systemic change needed in order for Sikhs and others working at CDCR to maintain both their civil rights and their employment.”

  In addition to collaborating with the DOJ, the Sikh Coalition continues working on our own existing legal campaign to address CDCR’s discrimination. Over the past year, we have joined with legal partners and co-counsel to retain eight clients who have suffered due to the policy, from being threatened with termination to being forced to use paid time off or sick leave while waiting for an accommodation. To date, we and our allies have filed charges of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission outlining these cases as a prelude to further legal action. Learn more about the case here.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 05/22/2024

  Developments in the Fight Against CDCR

  May 22, 2024 (Sacramento, CA) — The Sikh Coalition continues to lead legal and advocacy work in response to continued workplace discrimination. This includes our efforts to hold the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations (CDCR) accountable for their discriminatory policy prohibiting peace officers, even those who previously held religious or medical accommodations, from maintaining facial hair.

  The first hearing in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) call for a preliminary injunction against CDCR’s violation of peace officers’ civil rights will be held on June 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. As a reminder, the DOJ first announced their challenge to CDCR on March 25, with Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke writing that “Sikhs, Muslims, and employees of any faith should not be forced to choose between the practice of their faith and their jobs.” A preliminary injunction in this case would stop CDCR from enforcing its policy prohibiting facial hair.

  “While we support and remain in collaboration with the DOJ on their efforts, the Sikh Coalition and our partners also continue to pursue legal work on behalf of our clients who have been harmed by CDCR’s discrimination,” explained Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin. “While the DOJ’s push for a ruling is rightly focused on limiting CDCR’s policy, we know that the individuals who have suffered for more than a year under that policy also deserve justice.”

  To this end, the Sikh Coalition continues our own conversations with numerous clients retained by us and our co-counsel at the Stanford Law Religious Liberty Clinic and the Law Offices of Wendy Musell. We continue to assess these individuals’ ongoing and specific needs for support, as well as strategize for upcoming legal action to address their unique circumstances in concert with the DOJ’s push for larger, systemic change.

  Finally, the Sikh Coalition is disappointed to share that last week, the California State Assembly Committee on Appropriations failed to advance AB 2321—our proposed legislation to address this issue, developed alongside Assemblymember Liz Ortega and other allies—to a general floor vote. While we’re aware California is working to cut costs while grappling with a difficult budget deficit, a state’s budget stands as a statement of its values; despite AB 2321 being a priority for the Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, the California legislature has failed to prioritize the civil rights of these employees. Our advocacy team is grateful to all sangat members who contacted their elected officials about this bill, and we remain committed to finding alternative means to support our legal team’s ongoing work in this space.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 05/14/2024

  Legal Complaint Filed in Case of Abuse

  May 14, 2024 (Trenton, New Jersey) – Yesterday, Roshan D. Shah of Anderson & Shah Law, in collaboration with the Sikh Coalition and Harvard Law School’s Religious Freedom Clinic, filed a federal complaint against the United States of America; Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters, in her official capacity, and several specific corrections officers.The complaint was filed on behalf of Mr. Prabhjot Singh, an incarcerated Sikh man who has been subjected to discriminatory and abusive treatment because of his faith.

  In March 2022, Mr. Singh was arrested in Howell, Michigan, pleaded guilty to a nonviolent drug possession offense, and was sentenced to a federal prison term of 48 months. In January 2023, after several transfers, he was moved to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix, New Jersey. Since his incarceration began, Mr. Singh has maintained a perfect disciplinary record.

  At Fort Dix, a group of federal corrections officers have refused to properly accommodate Mr. Singh’s Sikh dietary restrictions or provide him with medically necessary care. Moreover, prison officials openly mock and ridicule Mr. Singh’s religious practices and treat his articles of faith with profound disrespect. In one particularly egregious incident, officers destroyed Mr. Singh’s dastaar, first trampling it under their boots and smearing it with spilled paint, and then tossing it in the trash in a restricted area. Officers also desecrated a second dastaar and Mr. Singh’s copy of the Guru Granth Sahib.

  “The actions of these corrections officers are as cruel to Mr. Singh as they are disrespectful to all Sikhs,” said Marissa Rossetti, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. “All individuals, incarcerated or not, are entitled to the practice of their religion, and no one should suffer such indignities against their articles of faith—especially from a representative of the federal government.”

  In the complaint, Mr. Singh is seeking damages and relief under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Federal Torts Claim Act. He also brings an Eighth Amendment claim due to the denial of adequate food and medically necessary care. In short, Mr. Singh has been needlessly suffering from severe emotional distress and physical injury because of the officers’ illegal conduct—which the Bureau of Prisons failed to prevent. He hopes that by filing this lawsuit, he might spare future inmates from similar trauma.

  “Federal law protects the right to freedom of religion for all Americans, including incarcerated individuals,” explained Professor Josh McDaniel of the Harvard Religious Freedom Clinic. “Those protections are meant to ensure against exactly the kind of treatment that Mr. Singh is being forced to endure. Accountability in this case is essential, both for Mr. Singh’s sake and the sake of other individuals who may be incarcerated at Fort Dix in the future.”

  The Sikh Coalition is grateful to our partners at the Harvard Religious Freedom Clinic and Roshan D. Shah of Anderson & Shah Law for their work on this case. Ensuring that all Sikhs in the United States, incarcerated or not, are safe to practice their faith freely remains an essential part of the Sikh Coalition legal team’s portfolio. We have pursued numerous such cases in the past, including fighting for the religious rights of Sikh prisoners in Arizona in 2021 and Florida in 2006; we settled a broader lawsuit in California in 2011 against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which allowed incarcerated individuals to maintain their kesh.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 03/26/2024

  Justice Department Joins SC's Fight

  March 26, 2024 (Sacramento, California) – Yesterday, The Justice Department (DOJ) challenged the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) on its denial of religious accommodations for correctional officers of various faiths, including Sikhs and Muslims, who wear facial hair as an expression of their faith. This announcement builds on the Sikh Coalition’s own campaign against CDCR’s workplace discrimination since 2023, and is the result of close collaboration between the Sikh Coalition, our legal partners, and the DOJ.

  “We are pleased to see the Justice Department recognize this flagrant discrimination from CDCR,” said Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin. “The Sikh Coalition is committed to fight against these violations both in court and through legislation. We continue to believe that employees of all communities have the right to maintain both their faith and health while working in any career field.”

  The DOJ’s action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, where they are seeking a preliminary injunction in order to stop CDCR’s discriminatory behavior and eliminate the conflict between individuals’ religious beliefs and their job duties. While we will remain in collaboration with the DOJ on their efforts, the Sikh Coalition and our partners will also continue to pursue legal work on behalf of our seven retained CDCR clients: The CDCR’s discriminatory policy must change, but those individuals who have suffered for more than a year under that policy also deserve justice.

  The DOJ’s engagement comes the week after bill AB 2321 passed unanimously through its first committee. As a reminder, AB 2321 was developed by California Assemblymember Liz Ortega and the Sikh Coalition to require CDCR to adhere to its obligation to provide employees with reasonable and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the employee’s individual needs.

  In the weeks and months ahead, we look forward to continuing our engagement with the DOJ and our legal partners, as well as working with the California sangat to move AB 2321 forward through the California Assembly and Senate; stay tuned for further updates. We firmly believe that ending this kind of discrimination—against Sikhs and others—by the state’s largest public employer will have positive effects for Sikhs across all professions in the Golden State. To learn more about the CDCR’s discriminatory policy and all of our work on this case, click here.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 02/01/2024

  Ongoing Legal Work

  February 1, 2024 (Denver, CO) – Last Friday, the Sikh Coalition filed a complaint and a motion to intervene in an ongoing lawsuit against major healthcare employers Global Medical Response (GMR), American Medical Response (AMR), and American Medical Response West (AMR West). This action is part of the Sikh Coalition’s continuing legal work, alongside co-counsels Scott Employment Law, P.C., Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP, and Livelihood Law LLC, for our client Mr. Inder Dhanota, a Sikh EMT. In July 2023, the Sikh Coalition filed a complaint on behalf of Mr. Dhanota with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the California Civil Rights Department. 

  On December 22, 2022, Mr. Dhanota was dismissed from GMR/AMR after months of requesting personal protective equipment (PPE) that would accommodate his kesh. GMR/AMR insisted that Mr. Dhanota shave before returning to work even though he had completed his orientation (including fieldwork) successfully, was cleared for duty, and had been competently completing his work responsibilities for some time. Ultimately, Mr. Dhanota was dismissed from his position nearly three months after requesting an accommodation—and for that entire time, he was unable to clock in and work. Mr. Dhanota reached out to the Sikh Coalition in early 2023 following his dismissal.  

  “More than a year has passed since GMR wrongfully dismissed me because of my faith, which is something no one should be subjected to,” said Mr. Dhanota. “It was extremely disappointing that I could not use my medical and emergency preparedness knowledge to help others.”

  Mr. Dhanota is the second client, after Mr. Ravinder Singh, to receive legal aid from the Sikh Coalition and our co-counsels due to employment discrimination by GMR/AMR. As a reminder, after the Sikh Coalition filed a complaint on Mr. Singh’s behalf for being wrongfully terminated and denied a PPE accommodation, the EEOC filed a nationwide lawsuit against these companies and their subsidiaries in October 2022.

  “The Sikh Coalition remains committed to holding companies like GMR accountable when they fail to respect the faith and cultural practices of their employees,” added Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. “Over the past few years, we have led the way in ensuring that Sikh healthcare employees can access and use PPE that accommodates their articles of faith. No one should have to choose between their faith and their employment.”

  Work to ensure equitable access to appropriate—and legally required—PPE remains an essential part of the Sikh Coalition legal team’s portfolio. Over the past several years, we have provided guidance on requesting accommodations, submitted policy recommendations and testimony to government agencies, taken on individual legal cases like Mr. Dhanota’s, and even secured and distributed donated Power Air-Purifying Respirators to individuals in need. Learn more about all of this work here. Moving forward, the Sikh Coalition will continue to advocate for Mr. Dhanota’s rights and to push GMR/AMR to change its discriminatory policies.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 12/12/2023

  Growing Our Legal Work—With Your Support

  Dear Supporter Ji,

  My name is Giselle Klapper, and I serve as the Deputy Legal Director of the Sikh Coalition. I wanted to reach out to you to thank you for your prior support of our organization—and ask that you consider donating once again so that we can continue to expand our legal work in support of the sangat.

  As you know, the Sikh Coalition works across a wide range of legal issues—from hate crimes to severe school bullying. Another area that is also consistently a part of our portfolio is workplace discrimination. We firmly believe that everyone should be able to practice their faith fearlessly at work, and that no one should be forced to choose between their religious beliefs and their livelihood. 

  This year, for example, we made another significant step forward in ensuring that Sikhs across the medical field have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) that works with their articles of faith. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sikh doctors, nurses, dentists, and other medical providers have been ordered or forced to shave their beards to wear certain kinds of masks. It is employers, however, who have the responsibility to meet their employees’ religious and safety needs—and that means providing PPE that keeps Sikhs safe without asking them to sacrifice their faith.

  Earlier this year, we and our co-counsel added a second Sikh paramedic client to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) major lawsuit against healthcare company American Medical Response (AMR). Last year, we engaged as co-litigants with the EEOC on behalf of Ravinder Singh, a Sikh paramedic who was refused appropriate PPE by AMR and ultimately fired for his refusal to shave. This year, we filed EEOC charges for a second client, Inder Dhanota, who had a frustratingly similar experience: AMR kept him in limbo for six months, refusing to allow him to work unless he shaved his beard. 

  This lawsuit is one of several that our team is managing right now as it moves through federal court. But we aren’t just doing casework on these issues: From being cited by the Supreme Court to testifying before Congress and engaging partner organizations, we continue to fight for all Sikhs to have access to the accommodations they are legally entitled to regardless of their profession.

  Ultimately, all of this work is only possible with your dasvandh. The difficult truth is that our legal work takes resources, and we can only show up for clients—and provide them expert counsel for free—when we have the financial reserves to do so. Regardless, the fight for equitable access to accommodations remains a top priority to our team and our organization in the year to come. We sincerely hope that we can count on your support to continue this shared and essential work!

  Chardi Kala, 

  Giselle Klapper
  Deputy Legal Director
  The Sikh Coalition

   

   

   

• 11/02/2023

  Continuing Efforts to Protect Sikh Migrants

  November 2, 2023 (Washington, DC) — More than a year after the first reports of Sikh migrants’ dastaars being seized and discarded at our nation’s southern border, the Sikh Coalition continues our work to ensure the dignified treatment of these and other vulnerable people.

  Earlier this year, the Sikh Coalition provided an update on our efforts to engage U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) around their treatment of Sikh migrants—including by submitting new draft policy recommendations that would detail the necessary steps required to protect the religious rights of Sikhs and other religious minorities during searches at the border. Recently, we received CBP’s finalized training materials on how its officers and agents can improve their understanding of the Sikh faith and guidance for the accommodation needs of Sikhs. After a review of the materials, we identified a number of important omissions following our prior detailed recommendations provided to CBP.

  Among our key recommendations are to bring the guidance in line with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, to push back against the notion of CBP officers and agents ‘patting down’ Sikhs’ dastaars, and to clarify what constitutes an “acceptable” health or safety risk that would permit CBP officers and agents to deny a Sikh migrant their rights. We also have concerns about privacy protections for migrants, contextually appropriate information on the Sikh faith, and other matters. While we remain encouraged that CBP is developing this guidance, its significant shortcomings mean that there is still more work to be done in order to ensure that the mistreatment of Sikhs and other religious migrants does not persist.

  As is always the case when we engage federal agencies (like CBP, the Transportation Security Administration, or others), the Sikh Coalition’s efforts to continue providing feedback and suggested improvements to these policies are not an endorsement of any agency’s current policies or conduct. We continue to stay in close communication with our partners at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona (ACLU-AZ) and other organizations to lead a multi-pronged advocacy effort to hold CBP and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accountable.

  We remain grateful to our allies at the ACLU and the ACLU-AZ for their stewardship and legal expertise in this area of the law, as well as other partner organizations like HIAS, Hindus for Human Rights, Muslim Advocates, and Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, who have worked with us to provide feedback and recommendations to CBP and DHS over the past year. As ever, reporting violations along the border remains critical: If you know of someone who has experienced discrimination or had their religious rights violated in the course of interactions with CBP agents, please reach out to our team online or by emailing [email protected].

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 11/01/2023

  Our Legal Work: Public Cases and Hidden Hours

  Dear Supporter Ji,

  In my six years as the Sikh Coalition’s Legal Director, I’ve been proud to celebrate many of our organization’s high-profile legal victories, from hate crime convictions in violent assaults to employment discrimination victories against major companies and government agencies to the U.S. Supreme Court citing one of our amicus briefs this year.

  Beyond these high profile victories, I also want you to know that the support you provide through your donations helps our expert legal team provide free legal services in so many more cases—many of which we can’t publicize at all due to privacy obligations. 

  One kind of case we can rarely speak about are instances of school bullying. Except for the most severe situations, where violence or even prosecutions are involved, we often choose not to talk about these cases to protect the privacy of students. The lack of publicity, however, doesn’t undermine the fact that our team spends hundreds of hours advocating for clients against school districts, counseling families in distress, attending disciplinary hearings, and training teachers and administrators to better handle anti-Sikh discrimination within their schools.

  We also often can’t talk about workplace discrimination cases. Every client’s situation is different, and while some are ready and willing to publicly tell their stories, others must remain anonymous for various reasons—including the fear of retribution from their employer. Regardless of whether we can talk about a given case, though, our attorneys work equally hard to bring about systemic, impactful change in workplaces across the country and ensure employers are held accountable for discriminatory conduct.

  The bottom line is that our legal team of five full-time staff fields an average of more than 200 intakes per year. When you make the decision to donate to the Sikh Coalition, you aren’t just funding the legal cases that make headlines in The New York Times or stories on CNN: You are effectively providing aid to sangat members with a huge variety of legal issues—great and small, public and private—to ultimately combat the religious discrimination our community continues to endure. Every sangat member we are able to help, whether we can speak about their situation publicly or not, is a victory for all of us, because our goal is always to eliminate hate and decrease discrimination for not just our client, but the next Sikh who might face similar challenges. 

  We are proud to serve as the first and best line of legal defense for our community, and we are grateful that we do so with the support of sangat members like you. Thank you for your continued investment in this shared mission.

  Chardi Kala,

  Amrith Kaur Aakre
  Legal Director
  The Sikh Coalition

• 08/11/2023

  Historic Achievement for Sikhs in the USMC

  August 11, 2023 (San Diego, CA) — Today, the Sikh Coalition congratulates our client, U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Private First Class (PFC) Jaskirat Singh, on his graduation from Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego. PFC Singh has completed Recruit Training with a historic accommodation that allowed him to maintain his Sikh articles of faith throughout his time at MCRD. He is represented by the Sikh Coalition, Winston & Strawn, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and BakerHostetler, with support from the Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA). 

  “I am honored to serve my country in the Marine Corps, and proud that I was able to do so while respecting my Sikh faith,” said PFC Singh. “I hope that my graduation sends a clear message to other young Sikhs who are considering military service: Your faith does not have to be a barrier to any career.”

  In November 2021, when he was a candidate for the Marines, the Sikh Coalition, SAVA, and our legal partners assisted Jaskirat in submitting a request for an accommodation to serve with his articles of faith. In February of 2022, he was offered an incomplete and insufficient accommodation by the USMC, including a provision that would require him to sacrifice his turban and beard while at Recruit Training. Through legal filings—including our landmark lawsuit against the U.S. government on behalf of Jaskirat and three other clients in April of 2022—we ultimately secured a ruling from the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals allowing him to attend Recruit Training with his articles of faith. Now that he has graduated, he will next head to his assigned military occupational specialty (MOS) school for specialized training.

  The larger lawsuit by the Sikh Coalition, Winston & Strawn, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and BakerHostetler against the U.S. government remains ongoing. It includes the broader question of the restrictions imposed in the limited accommodation granted to another one of our clients, Captain (Capt) Sukhbir Singh Toor, and now also used by PFC Singh. Of note, this limited accommodation still prohibits the maintenance of beards on many deployments. We look forward to providing further updates on the case as it moves forward.

  “Despite being kept in legal limbo for far too long as he fought to serve, PFC Singh’s determination and perseverance have paid off,” said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Deputy Legal Director. “As he continues to excel in his profession, we and our partners will continue pushing for him to have a complete accommodation for the remainder of his career in the USMC—and for the USMC to make a systemic policy change that will bring it in line with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force’s proactive moves to stop discrimination against Sikhs.”

  To date, the Sikh Coalition, SAVA, and our partners have helped more than 50 Sikh Americans in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force secure their accommodations; after 12 years of advocacy and legal action—and major policy changes to facilitate religious accommodations in the U.S. Army in 2017 and the U.S. Air Force in 2020—more than 100 Sikh soldiers and airmen now serve with their articles of faith and are able to stay safe while doing so, both at home and abroad. 

  As a final note, the Sikh Coalition and our partners wish to acknowledge all those Sikh Americans who have served in the USMC without the opportunity to maintain their articles of faith—from our client Capt Toor, who himself secured a historic accommodation from the USMC in June of 2021, to individuals like Corporal Gurpreet Singh, who was killed in action during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011. We continue our work towards systemic policy change in order to ensure that Sikhs in any career field, public or private, are never asked or forced to choose between their career and their religion.

• 07/24/2023

  Files Second Complaint Against Company - PPE

  (Oakland, CA) – Last Friday, on behalf of Inder Dhanota, and in association with co-counsel, the Sikh Coalition dual-filed a Charge of Discrimination and Complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the California Civil Rights Department against Global Medical Response (GMR) and its subsidiary American Medical Response (AMR). This complaint is a result of the wrongful termination of Mr. Dhanota, a Sikh paramedic and client represented by the Sikh Coalition, Scott Employment Law, P.C., and Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP. This is now the second client, after Mr. Ravinder Singh, who has approached the Sikh Coalition for legal assistance due to employment discrimination by this company.

  On December 22, 2022, Mr. Dhanota was dismissed from GMR/AMR after multiple months of attempting to request personal protective equipment (PPE) that would accommodate his Sikh articles of faith, including his beard. Despite the fact that Mr. Dhanota completed his orientation successfully (including training in the field), was hired to work for AMR, cleared for duty, and requested AMR provide him with a religious accommodation, AMR still insisted that Mr. Dhanota shave before returning to the job he had already been successfully performing. Ultimately, Mr. Dhanota was dismissed from his position after waiting nearly six months since he had first requested an accommodation—and for nearly half of that time, he was unable to clock in and work.

  “I am incredibly disheartened and frustrated that I was strung along for months as I sought an accommodation, only to ultimately be turned away from doing the job that I was trained to do,” said Mr. Dhanota. “I lost out on an opportunity to earn a living doing work that helps others, and it is hard to know that I could be using my knowledge of medical and emergency preparedness right now if not for such a simple request.”

  “Like any company, GMR and its subsidiaries have a simple obligation in cases like Mr. Dhanota’s: provide equipment that both keeps their employees safe and respects their faith,” added Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. “This pattern of behavior, as evidenced by the experiences of multiple clients, is alarming. We all benefit from having as many qualified medical professionals who are willing to render emergency services out on the job.”

  As a reminder, after the Sikh Coalition filed a complaint on Mr. Ravinder Singh’s behalf for being wrongfully terminated by AMR and denied a PPE accommodation, the EEOC filed a nationwide lawsuit against these same parent companies in October 2022.

  After last week’s filing, the Sikh Coalition will continue to advocate for Mr. Dhanota’s rights and to push GMR to change its discriminatory policies. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sikh Coalition has led the way in working to ensure that Sikh healthcare employees are able to access and use PPE that functions properly with their articles of faith. We have provided guidance on requesting accommodations, submitted policy recommendations and testimony to government agencies, taken on individual legal cases like Mr. Dhanota’s, and even secured and distributed donated PAPRs to individuals in need. Learn more about all of this work here.

• 07/03/2023

  Sikh Coalition Cited in Supreme Court Decision

  (Washington, DC) — Late last week, the Supreme Court ruled on a case, Groff v. DeJoy, with significant implications for religious accommodations in the workplace. The Sikh Coalition is proud to share that an amicus brief filed by our organization was cited by SCOTUS in their decision.

  Groff v. DeJoy centered on a Christian worker who was fired from his job with the U.S. Postal Service for refusing to work on Sundays, which violated his religious observance. In the decision, SCOTUS sided with Mr. Groff, the former postal worker, by clarifying the “undue hardship” standard. Previously, this standard meant that employers were not obligated to provide accommodations that were more than a de minimis, or minimal, cost or burden on them. Now, after this ruling, in order to deny an employee’s religious accommodation, employers must show that the request would result in “substantial increased costs” on the conduct of their business.

  “Cases like this one are a significant step forward for religious accommodations in any workplace,” explained Sikh Coalition Legal Director Amrith Kaur Aakre. “Sikhs frequently seek accommodations to maintain our articles of faith, and these requests almost never impose a serious burden on employers. With this ruling, the standard employers have to deny a Sikh employee’s accommodation request to maintain their facial hair, turbans, karas, and more is higher—which should hopefully result in more access to accommodations in the workplace.”

  An amicus brief is a legal memorandum submitted to a court where the author is not a party to a given case but has a significant interest in its outcome; they are used by judges to ensure that courts have taken all considerations into account and understand the broader impact of their prospective rulings. The Sikh Coalition filed an amicus brief on Groff v. DeJoy in September of 2022 in partnership with allied organizations and the law firm Horvitz & Levy; you can read the brief here, and see the citation by SCOTUS here. In addition, our legal experts have previously been featured in the news media discussing how this case, though brought by a Christian, applies to minority religious groups like Sikhs: Legal Director Amrith Kaur Aakre previously interviewed with the Boston Globe, and Senior Counsel Harsimran Kaur had spoken to Religion News Service.

  This scenario, wherein a case that has no Sikh directly involved but still results in a ruling that benefits Sikhs and other marginalized communities, is precisely why the Sikh Coalition engages in a robust amicus program. We continue to insist through our legal and advocacy efforts—including landmark litigation against the federal government, private employers, and more—that no one should have to choose between their faith and their career.

• 06/02/2023

  Allies Continue to Push for Accountability

  (Washington, DC) — Earlier this week, the Sikh Coalition, our partners at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Arizona (ACLU-AZ), and other Sikh organizations including SALDEF, the Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA), and United Sikhs met with officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about updated guidance and training with respect to the treatment of Sikh migrants.

  This training, which is in the process of being finalized, is intended to increase cultural competency for Border Patrol agents who encounter Sikh migrants in order to promote the dignified treatment of those Sikhs and their articles of faith. Earlier this year, the Sikh Coalition also shared guidance with CBP and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership on how to accommodate Sikhs in a manner that promotes common human decency and complies with federal law. This effort was also led by the Sikh Coalition, ACLU, and ACLU-AZ, with support from other organizations like Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Hindus for Human Rights, Muslim Advocates, and SALDEF; the guidance we provided meaningfully informs our government on work that remains unaddressed.

  “This training is a tentative step in the right direction, but we must now see proper implementation, along with policy changes and accountability, in order to fully protect the rights of Sikhs and other religious migrants,” said Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Sikh Coalition Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager. “It is essential that CBP officers comply with federal law, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs of all individuals. We continue to believe that how we treat vulnerable migrants is not just a policy or political issue—it reflects who we are as a nation.”

  This latest development is the result of advocacy by the Sikh Coalition, the ACLU, and ACLU-AZ dating back to August of last year, when media reports first emerged that CBP officers were seizing and throwing away the turbans of Sikh migrants at the U.S. southern border. We and our partners undertook multiple advocacy efforts to push for this guidance, including leading a letter signed by more than 160 civil rights, immigration, religious, advocacy, and other organizations to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; supporting a congressional letter from Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), and Judy Chu (D-CA); and sending our own legal letters of complaint to CBP. We have also held numerous meetings with CBP, DHS, and other stakeholders to engage on this issue.

  As a result of all of this advocacy, CBP leadership issued guidance directing Border Patrol agents to cease this practice of turban trashing and has sent several reminders to agents on the importance of treating religious articles of faith with dignity and respect. In addition, CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility launched their own internal investigation, and the Sikh Coalition, the ACLU, and ACLU-AZ successfully spurred Congress to launch a separate inquiry from the Government Accountability Office. The results of those investigations are pending, and we welcome a full and thorough review to address remaining policy gaps and ensure accountability.

  The Sikh Coalition will remain engaged with leadership at CBP and DHS, as well as investigators and members of Congress as the training is finalized to ensure that no Sikh or other individual of faith is stripped of their religious identity or wrongfully denied religious accommodations. As ever, we express our gratitude towards our partners in this work, as well as the Arizona advocates and sevadaars who have worked to address the immediate needs of Sikh migrants. Reporting violations along the border is still critical; if you know of someone who has experienced discrimination or had their religious rights violated by Border Patrol agents, please reach out to our team at [email protected].

• 05/17/2023

  Taking action against workplace discrimination

  (Sacramento, CA) -- Today, the Sikh Coalition is joining with our allies in California and sangat members across the state to take action against workplace discrimination.

  Beginning February 1, 2023, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) rolled out a discriminatory policy across all its institutions that forces bearded peace officers, including Sikhs and others who previously had religious and medical accommodations, to immediately shave or face disciplinary action up to and including termination. Since then, hundreds of requests to renew those medical and religious accommodations have been delayed or denied. In the interim, these peace officers have been forced to shave or use sick, vacation, and/or unpaid leave while waiting for a response, and many have been told they’d be subject to a demotion or face termination if they did not comply.

  The Sikh Coalition, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC), Church State Council, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations--California (CAIR-CA), has been advocating for these officers' rights and protesting this policy through a series of meetings and correspondence with CDCR beginning in February. Additionally, we have co-counseled with the Stanford Law Religious Liberty Clinic and the Law Offices of Wendy Musell to represent individual clients as we continue to fight for their rights to maintain their faith and health while working in any CDCR institutions.

  “This policy is a clear and ongoing infringement of bearded peace officer’s civil rights,” said Amreen Bhasin, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. “The policy must be reviewed, the interactive process it requires must be meaningfully conducted, and CDCR must provide personal protective equipment alternatives that allow for peace officers to maintain beards for religious and medical reasons while keeping themselves and others safe.”

  In addition to providing this pro bono legal support, we are asking the California sangat to assist us in rallying the state’s elected officials to demand accountability and action from CDCR. Starting today, California sangat members can take action by sending a pre-written letter to numerous relevant legislative and executive officials to ask them to call on CDCR to end their discriminatory policy and accommodate Sikh, Muslim, Black, and other peace officers now. Our advocacy team remains in close contact with legislative allies who are working on this issue, including State Sen. David Cortese (D-SD15).

  
  The Sikh Coalition legal team submitted an amicus brief in the Groff v. DeJoy case, which was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in mid-April. The issue revolves on the Title VII standard by which employers are required to provide reasonable religious accommodations for employees. Sikh Coalition attorneys were interviewed as experts on workplace discrimination and religious accommodations matters by several news outlets, including the Boston Globe.

  
  The Sikh Coalition legal team was invited to speak to students and faculty at both Stanford University Law School and Harvard University Law School on the pro bono collaborative process between non-profit law firms and law school clinics. The discussions included advising students on how best to approach such co-counseling relationships, and navigating the civil rights space. 

  
  The legal team is proud to announce that two summer interns will be working with us for the summer of 2023! Both are passionate about civil rights issues, and we look forward to training them on our work!

• 02/27/2023

  Continued Efforts to End Employment Discrimination

  On February 8, the Sikh Coalition submitted public comments to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The comments, in response to the “Draft Strategic Enforcement Plan,” spoke to the systemic discrimination faced by Sikhs related to personal protective equipment (PPE), N95 respirator requirements, oxygen masks, and hair testing.

  The Sikh Coalition has remained at the forefront of the fight to protect religious rights since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of 2020, we released a memo with the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association (NASMDA) offering guidance for healthcare professionals on how to proactively request and secure a religious accommodation for a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) or other suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) from their employers. In April of 2021, the Sikh Coalition testified before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), asking them to hold employers accountable and recognize civil rights challenges faced by Sikhs and other minority communities brought on by the pandemic–including the issue of PPE accommodations for individuals who maintain kesh. In response to our recommendations, the EEOC published updated and improved guidance on pandemic requirements for workplaces that informs employers of their obligations to accommodate requests for alternative PPE.

  Additionally, in December 2022, the Sikh Coalition and co-counsels at Buckley Beal LLP and Livelihood Law LLC filed a complaint in intervention against Global Medical Response (GMR), American Medical Response (AMR) and AMR’s subsidiaries. The motion comes after the EEOC filed a nationwide lawsuit against the companies in September 2022 that was a result, in part, of the wrongful termination of Mr. Ravinder Singh, a Sikh paramedic and client represented by the Sikh Coalition. This ongoing litigation has the potential to significantly impact future PPE issues moving forward.

  The Sikh Coalition has also made headway in our wider lawsuit with our partners against the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in regards to securing religious accommodation. In December of 2023, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals allowed two Sikh men to begin serving in the USMC with their articles of faith, and they referred the case of a third Sikh man for reconsideration by the U.S. District Court. In fact, for the past 12 years of advocacy and legal action, the Sikh Coalition and our partners have helped more than 50 Sikh Americans in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force secure accommodations.

  Finally, the Sikh Coalition has been working on issues pertaining to drug testing for years, including our landmark 2013 settlement of a multi-year, testing-related case involving four Sikh truck drivers who were discriminated against by transportation industry giant JB Hunt. In addition to providing legal support for those in need, we also pursue proactive measures–including a comprehensive effort to hold a major training initiative with national testing company Quest Diagnostics in 2019, and working with the North American Punjabi Trucking Association to submit public comments on DOT’s hair testing requirements.

  We strongly believe that no Sikh should be forced to choose between their religious practice and their career, and that no Sikh should fear retaliation or hardship for adhering to their religious beliefs. We will continue to provide recommendations and public comments whenever feasible in our fight against all discrimination that prevents Sikhs from maintaining their articles of faith in their profession.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 11/30/2022

  SC Attorneys, Allies Argue Discrimination Case

  On November 29, 2022, the Sikh Coalition, our pro bono co-counsel at Winston & Strawn LLP, and our litigation partners at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and BakerHostetler returned to court on behalf of three Sikh recruits working to join the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and serve with their articles of faith.

  As a reminder, on April 11, 2022, the Sikh Coalition, Winston & Strawn, the Becket Fund, and BakerHostetler, with support from the Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA), filed suit against the U.S. Department of Defense on behalf of four clients: USMC Captain (Capt) Sukhbir Singh Toor and pre-accession Marine recruits Mr. Milaap Singh Chahal, Mr. Aekash Singh, and Mr. Jaskirat Singh. One component of that lawsuit was a push to allow Mr. Chahal, Mr. Singh, and Mr. Singh to attend Marine recruit training while maintaining their articles of faith--something that was prohibited by the USMC in all three men’s limited religious accommodations. Yesterday’s oral argument, before three judges of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, was the latest effort to fight for this specific part of the case.

  “Our clients have been kept in limbo for months waiting on the Marine Corps to answer a simple question: Why exactly does their faith prohibit them from serving?” said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Senior Staff Attorney. “To date, there has been no answer to that question that doesn’t rely on discrimination or exclusion. It is time to put this issue to rest and let these young men move forward with their chosen careers of service.”

  To date, the Sikh Coalition, SAVA, and our partners have helped more than 50 Sikh Americans in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force secure their accommodations; after 12 years of advocacy and legal action--and major policy changes to facilitate religious accommodations in the U.S. Army in 2017 and the U.S. Air Force in 2020--more than 100 Sikh soldiers and airmen serve with their articles of faith and are able to stay safe while doing so, both at home and abroad. You can read a timeline of major developments in this campaign here.

  The wider lawsuit, which includes the question of limitations imposed in Capt Toor’s incomplete accommodation, will continue to move forward in the months ahead. The Sikh Coalition and our legal partners will provide further updates as this critical workplace discrimination and religious rights case continues to develop. In the meantime, if you or someone you know has faced discrimination around your articles of faith in the workplace or elsewhere, contact our legal team for free expert assistance.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 09/12/2022

  2+ Weeks Till Virtual CLE Conference

  On September 30th, the Sikh Coalition’s annual virtual legal conference, Realizing Justice For All, will bring together attorneys and law students from across the country to learn about the core civil rights issues facing Sikhs and other minority groups since 9/11.

  Last chance to register! Click here to reserve your spot now.

  Hosted in partnership with law firms Winston & Strawn, LLP and Weil, Gotshal, & Manges LLP, this virtual conference will provide legal professionals and students the opportunity to connect and acquire 3.0 CLE General or Elimination of Bias credits (depending on your state).

  In addition to remarks by special guest speakers Janai Nelson (President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund) and Paul Grewal (Chief Legal Officer of Coinbase and retired ​​U.S. Federal Magistrate Judge), the conference will feature discussions with community leaders, activists, and national experts on topics including:

  • From Palo Alto to Punjab: Free Speech in the Age of Disinformation and Censorship, and Holding Social Media Platforms Accountable;
  • The Miseducation of CRT: What it Is and What it Isn’t; and,
  • Past, Present, Future: The Battle For Voting Rights

  We also look forward to recognizing the Stanford University Law School Religious Liberty Clinic as the recipient of the 2022 Pro Bono Sevadar of the Year award! In Punjabi, a Sevadar is an individual who volunteers their time, resources, and services for the betterment of the entire community. The Stanford University Law School Religious Liberty Clinic will be recognized for its commitment to fighting for civil rights protections for all.

  Registration Information: Registrants are encouraged to attend for the full day. Registration for this virtual conference includes 3.0 CLE credits and is $100 for private attorneys, $50 for public interest and government attorneys, and free for current law students. Sponsorship opportunities are also available! Email [email protected] for more information if you require financial assistance.

  If you are an attorney or law student who is interested in attending the conference on September 30th, click here to register.

  We are grateful to our sponsors--Winston & Strawn LLP; Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; WilmerHale; Robins Kaplan LLP; the South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA), and the SABA Foundation--for their support!

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 07/11/2022

  Virtual Conference on 9/30 for Legal Professionals

  The Sikh Coalition is excited to host our annual virtual legal conference, Realizing Justice For All, on September 30, 2022.

  Hosted in partnership with law firms Winston & Strawn LLP and Weil, Gotshal, & Manges LLP, this conference offers an opportunity for lawyers and law students to gain CLE accreditation while learning about the core civil rights issues facing Sikhs and other minority groups in the United States. Legal professionals who attend the conference will acquire 3.0 CLE General or Elimination of Bias credits (depending on your state).

  Registration is now open: Click here to reserve your spot!

  This year, the conference will feature special guest speakers Janai Nelson (President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund) and Paul Grewal (Chief Legal Officer of Coinbase and retired ​​U.S. Federal Magistrate Judge). In addition, we look forward to recognizing the Stanford University Law School Religious Liberty Clinic as the recipient of the Pro Bono Sevadar of the Year award!

  We hope to see you at this year’s conference as we explore new topics in law and justice. The all-day conference will feature robust critical discussions by some of our nation’s leading experts on issues including:

  From Palo Alto to Punjab: Free Speech in the Age of Disinformation and Holding Social Media Platforms Accountable; 
  The Miseducation of CRT: What it Is and What it Isn’t; and
  Past, Present, Future: The Battle For Voting Rights

  If you know an attorney or law student who should attend on September 30th, forward them this registration information.

  Registrants are encouraged to attend for the full day. Registration includes CLE certifications and is $100 for private attorneys, $50 for public interest and government attorneys, and free for current law students. Scholarships are provided on an individual basis, and sponsorship opportunities are still available--email our team at [email protected] to learn more about both opportunities.

  As a reminder, last year’s conference featured conversations with leading attorneys and civil rights experts on topics including addressing issues of discrimination with an intersectional lens, understanding immigration challenges and representing clients seeking asylum, and whether the justice system adequately addresses bias crimes in a way that is in fact just.

   As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.
  

• 05/10/2022

  Join California Sikh Man in Fight for Justice

  May 10, 2022 (Sutter, CA) -- Almost one year ago, Rouble Paul Claire, a first generation Sikh American and father, was threatened with a racial slur and vehicular violence at a local store and then, in a second separate but related incident hours later, subjected to more racial slurs and hateful graffiti at his home. Mr. Claire immediately notified the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), but after months of delay and inaction, he retained the Sikh Coalition for free legal help in October of 2021.

  The SCSO ultimately recommended bringing charges against the offender. However, the Sutter County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO) refuses to prosecute the case. After giving the SCDAO every chance to do their job and bring the appropriate charges, the Sikh Coalition urges you to join us in helping bring justice for Mr. Claire before it’s too late. 

  TAKE ACTION and send a letter to the SCDAO calling for justice for Mr. Claire NOW. The statutory deadline for the SCDAO to bring charges is this Wednesday, May 11. Once you’ve taken action, be sure to forward to your friends and family and ask them to speak out, too!

  Simultaneously, Mr. Claire has filed a civil suit against officers of the SCSO, Sutter County, and the individual who threatened him. Through the Sikh Coalition legal referral system, attorneys Gina Szeto-Wong, Principal Attorney of Szeto-Wong Law, and Sean Tamura-Sato, Managing Partner of Minami Tamaki LLP, are representing Mr. Claire in the civil case.

  On May 11, 2021, Mr. Claire was accosted by a woman in his neighborhood at a local grocery store. The woman shouted and cursed at Mr. Claire--including by calling him a “f*cking Hindu”--threatened to “ram” him with her car, and then got in her car and sped towards him in a parking lot, only swerving away at the last moment. Later that day, another woman connected to the assailant in the first incident wrote the word “sandn*gger” in chalk on the sidewalk outside Mr. Claire’s house and in his driveway, and called him “n*gger” when he went outside.

  “I have been subject to threats, harassment, and racial slurs--yet almost a full year later, no one has been held accountable,” said Mr. Claire. “For months after immediately reporting these hateful acts, I sat in silence waiting for action that never came. I did not want to have to take legal action against anyone, but I believe that this failure of justice is unacceptable: No one in our community should have to face this kind of hate and bigotry.”

  Despite repeatedly appealing to the SCSO for help, Mr. Claire received little aid. One deputy who responded to the chalking incident used his own water bottle in an attempt to wash away the evidence before taking photos for the office; another advised him not to drive on his own street to avoid any confrontation. For months, Mr. Claire’s requests for action, charges, or even a police report documenting the incidents suffered delays or were completely ignored. When the Sikh Coalition engaged the SCSO, the investigation essentially began anew. The SCSO finally recommended charges against the woman who threatened Mr. Claire at the grocery store--but the SCDAO declined to bring those charges because of the time that had passed.

  “No one deserves to feel threatened in their own community, and law enforcement--both police and prosecutors--simply must do better,” said Amrith Kaur Aakre (she/her), Sikh Coalition Legal Director. “Tragically, we have seen time and again that hateful interactions can lead to violent results; the case of Khalid Jabara, killed in Oklahoma in 2016 after months of verbal, bias-based harassment from a neighbor, comes to mind. The large Sikh population in this area is only more reason to ensure that all members of this community feel safe and secure.”

  The Sikh Coalition is calling on the SCDAO to bring charges of Criminal Threats, Assault, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and any other appropriate charges against the woman who initially threatened Mr. Claire with her car. We also remain extremely concerned about the complete inaction of local law enforcement in response to the racial slurs and graffiti on and around Mr. Claire’s property--and broader allegations of a pattern of inaction by the SCDAO in cases targeting members of marginalized communities. You can support this effort to pursue justice for Mr. Claire NOW by taking just a moment to send an email to the SCDAO with our online tool.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 01/14/2022

  Update on NYC Taxi Driver Attack

  On January 14, 2022, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD) confirmed that last night, Mohamed Hassanain was arrested for the January 3 attack on a Sikh taxi driver (identified only as “Mr. Singh” to preserve his anonymity) at JFK airport. The incident is being considered a hate crime, given that Hassanain shouted “go back to your country” and called the driver “turbaned people” in a derogatory manner while repeatedly punching and shoving him.

  The driver, Mr. Singh, is still respectfully requesting to remain anonymous, so the Sikh Coalition is still not sharing his name, his photograph, or video footage of the attack itself.

  “We are grateful to the Port Authority Police Department and Queens District Attorney's Office for their prompt action on this case, and for recognizing that the attack on Mr. Singh included clear anti-Sikh bias,” said Amrith Kaur Aakre, Sikh Coalition Legal Director (she/her). “This case underscores the importance of sharing all of the details of these kinds of attacks with law enforcement. Holding perpetrators accountable for both their actions and their hateful motivations is the clearest way to show that bigotry, and the violence that it fuels, have no place in our communities.”

  Mr. Singh gave the following statement to the Sikh Coalition to share with reporters and the wider community: “I am thankful to law enforcement, the Sikh Coalition, and all those in the community who have offered their strength in this difficult time. No one should experience what I did--but if they do, I hope they receive the same overwhelming amount of support and quick, professional action by the authorities in response.”

  Hassanain is being charged with Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the Third Degree, and Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, and will be arraigned on Saturday, January 15. In the meantime, the Sikh Coalition will continue to stay engaged on this case. As we did in the aftermath of the attack, we will continue to assist Mr. Singh in his correspondence with law enforcement and ensure that all relevant details are conveyed between all parties. Additionally, we are grateful for the support of the New York City Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force in this case.

  In the Sikh Coalition’s experience, taxi and rideshare drivers from our community are at a heightened risk of hateful assault. In recent years, we have provided free legal aid to multiple Sikh drivers like Mr. Singh who were attacked in various places across the country. Accordingly, we continue to provide know-your-rights resources proactively to help the community stay safe. If you or someone you know has experienced bigotry--violent or otherwise--be sure to contact our legal team for free help.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 01/05/2022

  Kirpan Case Leads to Trainings

  In December 2021, the Sikh Coalition successfully followed through on the resolution of a kirpan-related legal intake, including by securing an individual accommodation for our client, as well as hosting a training that reached more than 100 employees in the city of Cleveland, Ohio.

  In May of 2021, Simranveer Kaur was carrying her kirpan when she attempted to use public transportation in the city of Cleveland. The driver of the bus that she boarded told her she couldn’t have a knife on the bus, but Simranveer explained that the kirpan was a Sikh article of faith and that asking her to remove it was a violation of her First Amendment rights. Unfortunately, the driver insisted that he would call the police if she did not exit the bus or give up her kirpan.

  “My experience shows how critical it is to know your religious rights--even when others would deny them,” said Simranveer. “When I stepped off the bus that day, I won’t deny that I was extremely frustrated. But I turned my energy to leveraging the Sikh Coalition’s free legal aid to ensure that nothing like this ever happens to another Sikh in my city.”

  After speaking with Simranveer, our legal team sent a letter to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) detailing the incident and asking for follow-up action. In return, the GCRTA offered a full apology to Simranveer, sent an immediate bulletin to their staff about kirpans, and worked to arrange trainings with the Sikh Coalition. Last month, GCRTA hosted Sikh Coalition staff for two full days of Sikh awareness trainings for their bus operators, staff trainers, service supervisors, and security personnel. All told, the trainings reached more than 100 employees; moreover, the GCRTA has also committed to including Sikh awareness training as part of their onboarding process for every new hire moving forward.

  “Sikhs, like all Americans, have a right to the free expression of their religion--and that includes maintaining articles of faith like the kirpan,” said Sikh Coalition Senior Legal Client Manager Aasees Kaur, who delivered the trainings to GCRTA. “We were glad to engage the GCRTA and expect that these trainings will prevent similar incidents for Sikhs simply trying to go about their business in public like anyone else.”

  The Sikh Coalition continues to serve as the leading source of legal aid for Sikh community members who encounter kirpan issues at school, work, or in public settings. The vast majority of our kirpan-related cases are successfully resolved through accommodation requests handled privately--but as Simranveer’s case demonstrates, proper education and training is an essential step to helping non-Sikh audiences understand that kirpans are both non-threatening and protected religious expression. If you or someone you know has been prohibited from maintaining your kirpan, please reach out to our team for free legal aid.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 12/14/2021

  Fighting to Prove the Truth

  The work required to combat bias, bigotry, and hate is already hard enough--but worse is when law enforcement authorities and elected officials don’t see the problem for what it is.
  
  Last year, it took months for the Sikh Coalition to successfully demonstrate to a Colorado district attorney’s office that Lakhwant Singh, who was told to ‘go back to your country’ and hit with a car, had survived a hate crime. In Indianapolis this summer, the FBI and local police explicitly ruled out bias as a possible factor and instead labeled a mass shooter who murdered four Sikhs and injured others as merely mentally ill--providing no justification for their decision, and failing to recognize the complex, multi-faceted motivations involved in many hate crimes. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies across the United States continue to struggle with underreporting or misreporting hate crimes: the Sikh Coalition has recently held several meetings regarding the nation’s largest police department, the NYPD, to explore how they have not reported a single anti-Sikh hate crime since reporting came to fruition in 2015.
  
  Despite all of these challenges, we fight every day to explain and prove, over and over again, what our community’s lived experiences and all the available data already show: Sikhs are hundreds of times more likely to experience bias, discrimination, and hate than most Americans.
  
  Beyond the fact that it can be an uphill battle, this work also takes serious financial resources. Our team of fewer than 20 full-time staff spends thousands of hours every year on letters, calls, and other messages to elected officials; meetings with law enforcement to make sure clients are well-represented; conversations and interviews with journalists to ensure they know who Sikhs are and what we believe; and educational trainings for teachers, business-owners, and anyone else who can help raise Sikh awareness in their communities.
  
  We want to get to a world where the Sikh experience of resilience in the face of hate is accepted rather than argued over, but it’s going to take more to speed up that progress. Time and again, marginalized communities in the United States are told that our experiences with bigotry don’t meet the threshold of a hate crime, can’t be ‘proven’ as racism by the perpetrator, or are somehow our fault.
  
  Will you join the Sikh Coalition in fighting for our experiences to be recognized and taken seriously? Every dollar you donate in support of our end-of-year fundraising can go towards engaging our elected officials, public awareness and education work, or free legal support for those in need.
  
  With your support, we are going to be heard.
  
  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 10/15/2021

  Legal Project update

  The Sikh Coalition is so appreciative of the sangat's support of the  Sikh Coalition’s “Legal  Work” project. The investment has been so important in pushing this work forward. We wanted to share some updates from the last few months:

  Responding to Vandalism at Khalsa Gurmat Center
  On September 17, 2021, Khalsa Gurmat Center--a Sikh house of worship, school, and community center located in Federal Way, Washington--was vandalized and burglarized.

  The Center retained the Sikh Coalition to provide free legal assistance and liaise with relevant law enforcement agencies and elected officials as the investigation moves forward. At this time, law enforcement authorities are investigating all possible motives--including the possibility that bias could have been a factor. In addition, the Sikh Coalition has reached out to elected officials in Washington to ensure that they are aware of the investigation, and several media outlets, for the express purpose of helping law enforcement identify potential suspects. The Sikh Coalition will continue working directly with gurdwara leadership to prioritize safety and provide updates on the case as they become available.

  Advocating for Better PPE for Sikhs
  Last month, the Sikh Coalition submitted additional formal recommendations to revise federal masking policies, calling for the availability and legal enforcement of alternative kinds of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn by Sikhs, religious minorities, and other individuals as necessary. Previously, in August, the Sikh Coalition provided policy recommendations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in response to the federal government’s publication of the Emergency Temporary Standard to limit the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare settings. Additionally, we submitted recommendations to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to highlight the needs and challenges in PPE for the Sikh community.

  100+ Legal Professionals Join Virtual CLE Conference
  On September 24, 2021, more than 100 legal professionals and law students joined the conversation on the core civil rights issues facing Sikhs and other minority groups since 9/11 during the Sikh Coalition’s first-ever virtual legal conference--Realizing Justice For All--hosted in partnership with law firms Winston & Strawn LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. During the conference, we were also privileged to honor our 2021 Pro Bono Sevadar Co-Counsel of the Year, Winston & Strawn LLP Partner and Sikh Coalition Legal Advisory Committee member Amandeep S. Sidhu.

   

  This is in addition to responding to 200+ legal intakes a year, filing joint amicus briefs, and our ongoing advocacy, education and community engagement work. As we continue to defend and safeguards religious freedom, we look forward to sharing more updates. 

• 08/23/2021

  Virtual CLE Conference for Legal Professionals

  The Sikh Coalition invites you to join us for our first-ever virtual legal conference, Realizing Justice For All. As our organization approaches a milestone anniversary since our founding in September 2001, we are partnering with Winston & Strawn LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP to host this conference for lawyers and law students to gain CLE accreditation while learning about the core civil rights issues facing Sikhs in the last 20 years.

  The conference will take place on Friday, September 24, 2021, from 11 AM to 5 PM ET. Legal professionals and current law students will have the opportunity to acquire CLE accreditation in Elimination of Bias, Diversity, or Ethics depending on their state. In addition, we are excited to announce that Gurbir Grewal, Director of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, will deliver the keynote address this year.

  Registration is Now Open: Click here to learn more and reserve your spot!

  Registrants are encouraged to attend this robust conference for the full day. Registration includes CLE certifications and is $100 for private attorneys, $50 for public interest and government attorneys, and free for current law students. Scholarships are available on an individual basis. There are also sponsorship opportunities available; email our Legal team at [email protected] to learn more.

  During the conference, attendees will learn from community leaders, activists, and national experts on topics including: combating discrimination based on the intersectionality of race, religion, and caste; understanding immigration patterns and challenges; and addressing bias crimes. The conference will also include one hour of networking for attendees.

  If you know an attorney or law student who should attend on September 24th, please share this registration page with them.

  To our current and aspiring legal professionals, this conference is for you! We hope that you will join us for this full-day event to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the Sikh community and learn about broader social justice movements.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

  

• 05/24/2021

  Fighting for the Rights of Incarcerated Sikh Man

  On May 24, 2021, the Sikh Coalition, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona, the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief (PFRB), the ACLU National Prison Project (NPP), and the international law firm WilmerHale filed a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of Mr. Surjit Singh, who is currently serving a sentence at the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) in Tucson, AZ.

  Upon his incarceration in August of 2020, Mr. Singh’s turban was taken from him and his beard was forcibly shaved to comply with ADCRR rules. Though Mr. Singh cannot communicate in English and was not provided with an interpreter, he did protest both the removal of his turban and his shaving at the time. He then lodged informal verbal and written complaints, and the Sikh Coalition, ACLU PFRB, and ACLU-AZ later filed a formal written grievance on his behalf.

  Following this initial forced shaving, the ADCRR further threatened to shave Mr. Singh again due to their prohibition of inmate beard lengths longer than one inch. We and our allies were able to prevent a second shaving and secure an accommodation so that he will not be shaved in the future in any ADCRR facility. However, the ADCRR remains unwilling to discuss policy changes that would provide accommodations to other prisoners who maintain facial hair for religious reasons.

  “My faith remains deeply important to me, and incarcerated individuals have a right to our faith just like everyone else in this country,” said Mr. Singh, through a statement to his legal representatives. “I am simply asking that the Arizona Department of Corrections guarantee that me and others in my position are able to serve our sentences with dignity by respecting our religious beliefs.”

  The complaint asserts that Mr. Singh’s religious freedom was violated by the ADCRR, and it urges the DOJ to examine the ADCRR’s practices to ensure that other incarcerated persons are not subject to similar violations.

  “All people, including those who are currently serving sentences in the criminal justice system, have a constitutionally protected right to the free exercise of their religion,” said Cindy Nesbit, Sikh Coalition Senior Staff Attorney. “Arbitrary policies of the ADCRR must not be allowed to further violate Mr. Singh’s religious rights, or the rights of anyone else.”

  The Sikh Coalition is grateful to our partners at the ACLU-AZ, ACLU PFRB, ACLU NPP, and WilmerHale for joining us in this important case. Of note, we have successfully navigated similar cases on behalf of Sikh Americans before, including a 2011 lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and advocacy action in 2006 against the Florida Department of Corrections; local chapters of the ACLU were a valuable partner in both of those instances.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 05/11/2021

  Continuing to Push for Workplace Equality

  The Sikh Coalition continues fighting for the civil rights of Sikhs in the workplace, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

  On April 28, Sikh Coalition Legal Director Amrith Kaur testified before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at the Commission’s first all-virtual hearing. Over the course of her remarks, Kaur discussed civil rights challenges for the Sikh community brought on by the pandemic--including the issue of personal protective equipment (PPE) accommodations for individuals who maintain kesh.

  “The Sikh community is not new to workplace discrimination, and the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to greater religion-based employment discrimination,” said Kaur during her testimony. “The role of the EEOC is to advance the public interest, protect the civil rights of employees who are subjected to discrimination, and ensure that all American workers have access to equal employment opportunity ... Consequently, we strongly urge the EEOC to acknowledge this harm which continues to grow as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and to hold employers accountable whenever their actions or the failure to act are the cause of it.”

  Click here to read Kaur’s full written remarks, submitted to the EEOC in advance.

  Following the testimony, the Sikh Coalition was engaged by the EEOC and the Illinois Human Rights Commission to provide Title VII seminars and training specific to religious discrimination in the workplace, particularly those emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to offer free training and presentations to organizations across the public and private sectors who need more information about how to respect the religious rights of their Sikh employees and patrons.

  The Sikh Coalition has been at the forefront of the fight to protect religious rights since the beginning of the pandemic. In March 2020, we released a memo with the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association (NASMDA) offering guidance for healthcare professionals on how to proactively request and secure a religious accommodation for a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) or other suitable PPE. Then, in May, we again worked with NASMDA to produce a letter to fully inform healthcare professionals of their rights when it comes to articles of faith. In September, we worked with U.S.-based nonprofit Direct Relief to secure a donation of PAPRs for professionals in need and better publicize the legal issue that Sikhs were facing.

  If you or someone you know has been told by an employer to shave facial hair in response to COVID-19, please contact the Sikh Coalition’s legal team for free and confidential legal aid immediately. We can effectively walk you through the process of securing a religious accommodation with the goal of finding a quick resolution between you and your employer. For information about employee rights related to the pandemic in general, please review our Know Your Rights resource regarding the EEOC’s latest rules.

  As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

• 04/09/2021

  Sikh Awareness at Major Hospital System

  April 9, 2021 (Philadelphia, PA) -- Yesterday, Sikh Coalition Legal Client and Community Services Manager Aasees Kaur facilitated a virtual presentation on Sikhism in partnership with Jefferson Health. The interactive session covered the basics of the Sikh faith and community, and was attended by at least 50 Jefferson clinical health team members, including doctors, nurses, techs, med students, and others.

  Jefferson Health is a network of five hospitals in Philadelphia and New Jersey; with almost 1,000 licensed beds between them, the facilities also serve as teaching hospitals for Thomas Jefferson University. For the last two years, the Sikh Coalition has been working with the Jefferson Health team to provide information about the Sikh faith and community, as well as recommending best practices for respectfully engaging Sikh patients and visitors; this relationship-building work facilitated the training opportunity.

  Yesterday’s training follows another successful presentation, specifically for security personnel regarding the Sikh articles of faith, delivered by the Sikh Coalition’s legal team in August of 2020. Both trainings were recorded, and the footage will be made available to thousands of Jefferson employees at future orientations; additionally, the Sikh Coalition has been invited back to give this Sikh awareness training on an annual basis.

  “It is important for current and future medical professionals to understand the needs of diverse communities to provide a culturally competent environment of care,” said Kaur. “The Sikh Coalition continues to offer our training services to a wide range of public and private organizations to raise Sikh awareness across society and ensure that Sikhs are able to practice their faith without issue in all aspects of their daily lives.”

  If you are affiliated with a healthcare network and would like to facilitate a Sikh awareness presentation for your team, please contact us at [email protected]. In addition to facilitating these presentations, the Sikh Coalition has increased our work with healthcare providers in the past year given the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association, we have fought to ensure that Sikh healthcare providers on the frontlines are able to maintain their articles of faith and have access to the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need; we also produced a guide to Sikhi for non-Sikh healthcare providers, and continue to curate COVID-19 vaccine safety and availability information along with partner organizations.

• 02/02/2021

  Justice for Sikh Trucker

  The Sikh Coalition continues to fight for Sikhs in all professions--including the trucking industry--to receive equal treatment under the law and practice their faith fearlessly.

  In December of 2020, Paramjit Singh Sandhu, a truck driver, faced a violation of his religious rights when he was instructed to report to a medical facility in Sachse, TX, for what should have been a routine drug test required by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Unfortunately, staff at a MedPost Urgent Care facility would not allow him to complete the procedure with his dastaar on. This claim was in violation of Mr. Sandhu’s religious and statutory rights--and the regulations of the DOT.

  Mr. Sandhu rightly refused to remove his dastaar, left the clinic, and consulted the Sikh Coalition. We contacted CareSpot, the parent company of MedPost, and advised them of this violation of the DOT’s religious accommodation policy; we were then able to secure a written accommodation for Mr. Sandhu on January 5, 2021, and he got his drug test shortly thereafter.

  “I knew that it was within my rights to keep my turban during a routine drug test,” said Mr. Sandhu. “Thanks to the Sikh Coalition’s free legal advice, I was able to reach an amicable solution, and now, more people are aware of the rights afforded to all religious minorities in the trucking industry.”

  The Sikh Coalition has been working on issues pertaining to drug testing for years, including our landmark 2013 settlement of a multi-year, testing-related case involving four Sikh truck drivers who were discriminated against by transportation industry giant JB Hunt. In addition to providing legal support for those in need, we also pursue proactive measures--including a comprehensive effort to hold a major training initiative with national testing company Quest Diagnostics in 2019, and working with the North American Punjabi Trucking Association to submit public comments on DOT’s hair testing requirements last year.

  “Drug testing is one area where observant Sikhs are frequently and falsely told there are ‘issues’ with their articles of faith,” said Aasees Kaur, Sikh Coalition Legal Client and Community Services Manager. “We continue to engage in cases like Mr. Sandhu’s, and push for more protections like the DOT’s rules around accommodations for drug testing, because it remains our position that no one should have to make a choice between their religious beliefs and their career of choice.”

  If you or someone you know has encountered difficulties relating to employer-mandated drug testing, please contact the Sikh Coalition for a free legal consultation. No Sikh should have to cut their hair or remove their dastaar when submitting to a drug test. Additionally, for those in the trucking industry, take a moment to review our trucker ‘know your rights’ resource today.

• 11/09/2020

  Legal project updates

  The Sikh Coalition is so appreciative of the sangat's support of the  Sikh Coalition’s “Legal  Work” project. The investment has been so important in pushing this work forward. 

  
  In advance of Dasvandh Week we wanted to share updates on our legal work from the last 12 month. 

  Orangevale Gurdwara Vandalism

  In early January 2020, the Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara Sahib in Orangevale, California was vandalized with the phrase “WHITE POWER” and a swastika. After alerting law enforcement, the gurdwara retained the Sikh Coalition to assist in the case and liaise with authorities. We also worked with gurdwara leadership to organize an interfaith solidarity open house attended by neighbors, elected officials, faith and community leaders, and partner organizations. Proactive media outreach by our communications team resulted in coverage of this case in all major local media outlets. Months later, the Sikh Coalition hosted a virtual forum for the Orangevale sangat where multiple law enforcement agencies provided updates on ongoing investigations of white nationalists in the area. 

  
  Colorado Hate Crime Case

  On April 29, 2020, Lakhwant Singh was verbally and physically attacked by a customer. Mr. Singh retained the Sikh Coalition to provide free legal support and push the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office to charge his attacker with a hate crime. Through these efforts more than 2,600 people sent emails to Jefferson County District Attorney urging him to pursue a hate crime charge; in addition, 29 organizations joined a sign-on letter urging for the same, and many others signed and delivered additional petitions from across the world.  

  
  Legal Support for Sikh Healthcare Professionals

  Our legal team directly helped doctors, dentists, nurses, and medical students secure accommodations and forms of PPE, like Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) that protect those who maintain facial hair. We also worked with the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association to produce legal guidance for Sikh medical professionals advising them of their religious rights, their employer’s obligation to protect their health, and how best to request an accommodation for appropriate PPE.

  
  New Jersey Bullying Case

  The Sikh Coalition is pursuing justice for a Sikh student who has suffered under a pattern of racial- and religious-based bullying since 2018. The school board previously failed to help the student after two “investigations,” and repeatedly downplayed the extent of the bullying--which was so severe that the student had to be removed from school. In July of this year, however, the school board was ordered to submit an answer to the suit filed against them in May by the Sikh Coalition and co-counsel. 

  
  This is in addition to responding to 200+ legal intakes a year, filing joint amicus briefs, and our ongoing advocacy, education and community engagement work. As we continue to defend and safeguards religious freedom, we look forward to sharing more updates. 

• 10/06/2020

  Fighting for Workplace Religious Accommodations

  collaborated with Stanford Law School’s Religious Liberty Clinic about the importance of addressing damages when Sikhs and others are discriminated against under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). 

  Currently, when someone files a lawsuit under RFRA–alleging that their religious rights were violated by the federal government–they can’t be awarded money as compensation. For example, if a federal employee is denied the right to maintain their articles of faith while at work and has to file a lawsuit under RFRA, they won’t get any monetary compensation for the time during which their rights were violated–including, say, for time when they were suspended or couldn’t go to their job. A requirement to provide compensation isn’t just about making things right for these individuals, though: It also deters the government from similar abuses in the future. 

  When Congress enacted RFRA, we believe they intended for people who faced religious discrimination to be able to get all manner of relief and damages, including money. The language in the RFRA statute that allows for people to file a lawsuit is very similar to language in other statues which do allow for monetary compensation, so it would make sense that RFRA would allow for a monetary award too. Often, even routine enforcement of general policies can infringe on religious minorities’ abilities to exercise their faith. Sometimes, these violations only take a matter of minutes–like when TSA agents extend their authority in the search of a Sikh at airport screening. While the infringement may not last very long and the government may take steps to correct their actions moving forward, the individuals who have been harmed should be fairly compensated–and the government should be motivated not to violate anyone’s rights that way again. 

  On February 12, 2020 the Sikh Coalition jointly filed an amicus brief–a document that provides the U.S. Supreme Court with additional information and perspective–in the matter of Tanzin v. Tanvir. In this case, a group of Muslim men refused to act as FBI informants on their community and suffered retaliation, including by being placed on a “no fly” list. This action by the federal government was a major infringement of their religious rights, and was a clear attempt to force these Muslims to inform on other Muslims. They filed a lawsuit under RFRA, causing the FBI to remove their names from the list. However, when they tried to get money as part of their damages for the FBI’s conduct, the court held that the men were not entitled to monetary relief under the RFRA statute. The Supreme Court is now reviewing the case to determine whether these men can actually claim monetary damages even after the government fixed the underlying problem. While this case is about the experiences of these Muslim men, we wanted to make sure the Sikh perspective on this issue was heard, because RFRA is meant to protect religious minority groups like ours.

  Most recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit reversed the District Court and agreed with the Muslim men that the government should pay damages under RFRA lawsuits. The government appealed, and today, the Supreme Court hears this case to decide whether the ruling that gives justice to religious minorities like Sikhs will stand. We and our partners hope that the Supreme Court decides to hold the federal government accountable for violating the free exercise of religion by allowing for monetary compensation for those whose rights were violated–including Sikhs who face discrimination–and deters the federal government from further harmful behavior. 

  Our brief was included in the list cited by SCOTUSblog, which tracks important cases that are before the Supreme Court; you can click that link to learn more about this case as it moves forward. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the Sikh Coalition will continue to work to ensure that the religious rights of Sikhs and other minority groups are protected from discrimination–whether from the federal goverment, private employers, or anyone else. If you or someone you know has faced bias, bigotry, or backlash, reach out to our team for free legal aid. And as always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly!

• 08/03/2020

  Fighting for Articles of Faith in the Workplace

  The Sikh Coalition legal team receives hundreds of intakes every year from community members who have been discriminated against–sometimes for years on end. In too many professions across both the private and public sectors, the Sikh articles of faith specifically have been viewed as problematic by employers, which often leads to religious accommodations being refused. Most recently, we’ve seen this as healthcare professionals struggle with hospital policies requiring them to shave their beards in order to wear certain types of personal protective equipment or risk termination. We’ve also seen it in cases where employers say having a visible Sikh in a customer-facing position detracts from their bottom line, so they either don’t hire them or put them in a position where customers can’t see them and their turban and beard, like our client at Walt Disney World. We’ve even seen it in the restaurant industry, where Sikhs are told they can’t wear a kara because jewelry is prohibited by the local health codes. 

  Essentially, Sikhs face discrimination and a lack of understanding about our articles of faith significantly more than most other religious groups. Unfortunately, employers too often get away with it because they have the law on their side. That’s why we are so excited to share with you a legal brief we have been working on to combat this problem!

  Right now, if an employer does not want to grant an employee’s request for a religious accommodation, all they have to do is show that providing the accommodation burdens them with more than a “de minimis” cost. In practice, this ends up meaning “almost any” cost. This rule comes from a United States Supreme Court case called Trans World Airlines Inc. vs. Hardison, which interprets the requirements of providing religious accommodations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Since the late 1970s, employers have been using this case to get out of giving religious accommodations for their staff. 

  Recently, though, a new case dealing with this legal standard has arisen, and is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. In Small vs. Memphis Light, Gas and Water, a Tennessee employee who is a Jehovah’s Witness asked his employer for religious accommodations so he could attend certain religious and community service obligations required by his faith. His employer said that changing their schedule would inflict more than a de minimis cost, so they weren’t obligated to to provide him with the time off. The lower courts agreed with the employer, and said they did not have to give this employee the requested time off despite the fact that it was being requested as a religious accommodation under Title VII, due to the cost involved. 

  The Sikh Coalition has joined with a law firm, Horvitz & Levy, and Muslim Advocates, another civil rights organization, to file a legal document called an amicus brief in this case. As you probably know, the Sikh Coalition often collaborates with other groups when addressing major civil rights issues that affect a wide range of communities, as is the case here. Our brief focuses on the fact that the current standard not only erodes the protections that were intended for religious practices under the Civil Rights Act, but it also misinterprets the original meaning of de minimis cost or burden. We want the Supreme Court to recognize that the way the law is interpreted now significantly harms minority religious groups, like Sikhs, and allows employers to effectively discriminate against those groups under the protection of the law. This discrimination has plagued our community for far too long and must stop.

  We’re very excited that our brief was also cited by the SCOTUSblog, which tracks important cases that are before the Supreme Court, to read as part of their “Petitions of the Week.” We, along with our partners, hope that the Supreme Court agrees to review this case so that we can finally make sure employers across the country are held accountable and are not discriminating against their employees due to their religious beliefs. 

• 07/28/2020

  Justice for Sikh Student in NJ

  July 28, 2020 (Woodbury, NJ) — The Sikh Coalition continues to pursue justice for a New Jersey Sikh student who has suffered under a pattern of racial- and religious-based bullying since 2018. As of last Friday, the Gloucester County Special Services School District Board of Education was ordered to submit an answer to the complaint filed against them in May by the Sikh Coalition and co-counsel. After their answer is filed with the Court, the case will head to mediation–the process under New Jersey law by which these kinds of complaints are first addressed before moving to a civil trial.

  On June 24, the Board of Education filed a motion to dismiss our initial complaint. As a reminder, this same board previously failed to take action to help the Sikh student after two investigations. They repeatedly downplayed the extent of the bullying at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT), which was so severe that the student had to be removed from school. In denying the problem, they insisted on characterizing obviously bias-motivated attacks as just ‘nicknames’ among students.

  After a reply from the Sikh Coalition, however, Judge Timothy Chell has determined that the family’s complaint presents sufficient facts to state a “cause of action,” meaning that the case will move forward. This is a significant step forward in ensuring that the school board faces some outside accountability for their failure to help this child and take the harassment they faced seriously.

  “I am disappointed but not at all surprised that the School Board has not acknowledged–much less apologized for–their failure to keep my child safe at GCIT,” said the student’s mother, who remains anonymous. “It is clear, however, from Judge Chell’s ruling that authorities outside the district see that the trauma my child endured matters. If we do not reach a satisfactory end through mediation, I believe that a civil court will see the board’s clear pattern of discrimination and inaction and force them to begin to make this right.”

  In advance of mediation, the Sikh Coalition continues to collect evidence regarding what appears to be a systemic problem with harassment and bullying at GCIT. In addition, our legal team has engaged the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and encouraged them to pursue a broader investigation into the environment that school officials and the board are creating for GCIT’s minority students.

  “We are uncovering more and more about the rampant, widespread racism at GCIT, which makes the failure of the school board to confront and discipline that behavior all the more unacceptable,” said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Senior Staff Attorney. “One way or another, we expect restorative justice for this student–as well as meaningful change to help other racial and religious minorities who may still be suffering from the same kind of malice from their peers and neglect from those who should protect them.” 

  Even after more than a year out of school, the effects of the bullying on this student persist: they remain in treatment for negative mental health consequences of their experience. And while students across New Jersey were transitioned to distance learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this student–who was already learning from home–has been subjected to additional reporting burdens and reduced learning time. 

• 07/22/2020

  Hate Crime Charged in #JusticeForLakhwant Case!

  July 22, 2020 (Lakewood, CO) — Yesterday evening, Mr. Lakhwant Singh and the Sikh Coalition were pleased to learn that the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office has decided to add a hate crime charge against Eric Breemen. Moving forward, Breemen will be charged with multiple counts–now including a bias-motivated crime–in the violent April 29 assault of Mr. Singh.

  “I am so very grateful to everyone–Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike, from Lakewood, elsewhere in Colorado, across the country, and beyond–who have stood with me and my family in this incredibly difficult time,” said Lakwhant Singh. “I appreciate the Jefferson County authorities hearing my story and, through these charges, recognizing the role that hate played in my horrible attack.”

  Nearly three months ago, Breemen verbally accosted Mr. Singh and his wife in their store in Lakewood, CO, repeatedly telling them both to “go back to your country.” Immediately afterwards, in the parking lot outside the store, Breemen struck Mr. Singh with his car and left him for dead; he later described Mr. Singh as an “older Arab” to the officers who arrested him. 

  “The decision to add a bias-motivated charge against Breemen is a resounding victory not just for Mr. Singh, but for minority communities who are threatened by bias and bigotry every day,” said Amrith Kaur, Sikh Coalition Legal Director. “Adding these charges sends a clear message: Hatred is not welcome in Jefferson County, and those who are targeted for being different know that this community will acknowledge it and stand with them in solidarity.”

  The Sikh Coalition, along with support from local community members–including the leadership of Colorado Singh Sahba and the Colorado Coalition Against Hate–as well as the law firm of WilmerHale, has worked diligently over the past several weeks to push for the addition of this hate crime charge. Through these efforts, more than 2,600 people sent emails to Jefferson County District Attorney Peter Weir urging him to pursue a hate crime charge; in addition, 29 organizations joined a sign-on letter earlier this month urging for the same, and many others others signed and delivered additional petitions from across the world.  We extend our deep gratitude to all of the allies who came together to demand #JusticeForLakhwant.

  The Sikh Coalition also helped raise awareness for this case through successful media coverage from the local to the national levels. We will continue to provide updates in this case and also work with Colorado authorities to minimize the risk of future attacks. 

• 07/14/2020

  PPE for Sikhs on the COVID-19 Frontlines

  July 14, 2020 (New York, NY) — As the COVID-19 pandemic worsens in many states across the nation, the Sikh Coalition continues to ensure that Sikh healthcare providers on the frontlines who maintain their articles of faith have the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to keep themselves safe.

  Recently, the Sikh Coalition worked with Simranpreet Kainth, a 3rd year medical student at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) School of Medicine, to secure him a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) while he completes his rotations. With the invaluable support of CUNY School of Medicine staff, Simranpreet has been trained on how to use his PAPR, which he will wear when interacting with any COVID-positive patients.

  “I am thankful to my school officials for ensuring that I have the tools I need to care for both my patients and myself as I continue my studies,” said Simranpreet. “The free guidance that the Sikh Coalition provided showed me that I shouldn’t have to choose between my beard and my passion for medicine, and I’m grateful that they are willing to help other Sikh healthcare professionals who are working to beat this virus.”

  The Sikh Coalition has been working since the early days of the pandemic to ensure that no Sikh American feels they have to choose between their articles of faith and their desire to serve in the medical profession–particularly in this time of need. Since March, we have helped several other Sikh healthcare professionals across the nation secure PAPRs or other similar devices via religious accommodations. We also worked directly with the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association (NASMDA) to produce this letter to Sikh healthcare professionals informing them of their rights when it comes to articles of faith and PPE guidelines, and we have provided behind the scenes guidance on best practices for Sikhs in requesting an accommodation and advocating for themselves on a global level.

  “There is no difference between the service of Sikhs who choose to work in the medical field with their articles of faith and anyone else in their line of work,” said Cindy Nesbit, Sikh Coalition Senior Staff Attorney. “We are glad to help them secure alternative forms of PPE that allow them to continue saving lives. Now more than ever, the medical profession needs all hands on deck–and that means that healthcare employers uphold their obligation to ensure equality of opportunity for religious minorities.”

  If you or someone you know is a healthcare professional, please read the above-mentioned letter we co-wrote with NASMDA, as well as this initial memo we released in March offering guidance on how to proactively request a religious accommodation for a PAPR or CAPR. Similarly, if you or someone you know have been told to shave facial hair in response to COVID-19, please contact the Sikh Coalition’s legal team for free legal aid immediately. You can also email [email protected] to inquire about obtaining appropriate PPE through NASMDA.

• 01/14/2020

  Responding to Vandalism at a California Gurdwara

  January 14, 2020 (Orangevale, CA) – Sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning, the Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara Sahib in Orangevale, CA was vandalized with white nationalist graffiti. The graffiti included the phrase, “WHITE POWER,” and depicted a swastika on a concrete slab that is to serve as the sign in front of the newly-opened gurdwara.

  “We were shocked and saddened to discover this hateful message, because no group should ever be the target of this kind of bigotry,” said Orangevale Sikh community member Dimple Bhullar. “The Sikh community has been an integral part of California for 125 years, and we won’t let this divide or silence us now.”

  The graffiti was discovered early Monday morning by a neighbor, and gurdwara leadership and law enforcement were immediately alerted. Since then, the gurdwara has retained the Sikh Coalition to assist in the case. As of now, there has been no arrest, but our organization continues to engage with local law enforcement to ensure that state and federal agencies are taking every appropriate action in response to this hate crime.

  “We are grateful to local law enforcement for responding quickly to this ugly vandalism,” said Sikh Coalition Senior Staff Attorney Cindy Nesbit. “No community should ever feel unsafe in their house of worship, and it is essential that this case be investigated as a hate crime given the clear white nationalist rhetoric.”

  The Sikh Coalition is also providing rapid communications support to raise awareness in local and national media outlets and ensure respectful and responsible reporting. Already, this work has resulted in successful media coverage in local FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC affiliates, in addition to the Sacramento Bee and Newsweek. Our outreach to state– and national-level elected officials has also already resulted in bipartisan condemnation of this bigotry.

  On Saturday, January 25th, the Sikh Coalition assisted with an open house and interfaith solidarity event at Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara Sahib in Orangevale, CA. Hundreds of people joined the Orangevale sangat on the heels of the discovery of white nationalist graffiti on the gurdwara property earlier this month.

  We will continue to provide more updates on this case as they become available. In the meantime, we encourage you to be aware of your surroundings and know your rights. Download our FAQ on hate crimes and hate speech and learn how to report incidents to authorities and the Sikh Coalition. Also, ask your gurdwara if they have proactively worked with the Sikh Coalition to make the gurdwara safer; if not, please share our Gurdwara Security Toolkit and email us at [email protected] for a free consultation in English or Punjabi.

• 12/11/2019

  Hate Crime Charged in Bellingham, WA

  December 11, 2019 (Bellingham, Washington) – The Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has announced that it will bring hate crime charges in the case of an Uber passenger who physically attacked and verbally abused his observant Sikh American driver on Thursday, December 5. The driver, who retained the Sikh Coalition for pro bono legal consultation and remains anonymous as he recovers from the attack, expressed his relief at this positive development.

  “We are grateful to the Bellingham Police Department for recognizing the influence of bias in this case from the beginning, and we applaud the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for reaching the right decision,” said Amrith Kaur, Sikh Coalition Legal Director. “The attacker’s racist rants regarding the driver’s skin color, Indian heritage, turban, and beard leading up to and during the assault left little doubt that this was a hate crime.”

  The attacker, Grifin Levi Sayers, will be arraigned at the Whatcom County Superior Court on Friday, December 13, at 9:00 AM. Because a hate crime against one is an act of aggression against the whole community, members of the Bellingham and greater Washington sangat are planning to gather at the arraignment to express their gratitude for the prompt and appropriate response to this hate crime case.

  “Charging these kinds of malicious attacks as hate crimes sends a clear message that it is unacceptable to target others for their heritage, religion, or any other aspect of their identity,” said Dr. Jasmit Singh, a Sikh community leader in the greater Seattle area. “Recognizing the influence of bias–and then taking these incidents seriously and addressing them with the proper legal mechanisms–is the first step to making our communities safer.”

  We are grateful to the Sikh Uber driver for sharing his incident with the police: Only through that brave act has this step toward justice been taken, and the awareness around the continued threat of hate and violence been increased.

  In light of this incident, the Sikh Coalition has updated our ‘Know Your Rights’ resource for taxi and rideshare drivers. We also continue to provide free and confidential legal assistance to Sikhs who have been discriminated against or targeted for their religious beliefs or identity. If you believe you or somebody you know has experienced bias, bigotry, or backlash, please fill out our confidential legal intake form or call  (212) 655-3095 to speak with someone in English or Punjabi.

• 09/02/2018

  Project Update

  We thank you for your generous support and commitment to helping us serve the Panth!

  

  Legal Work Protects Religious and Immigrant Rights

  The Sikh Coalition is proud to announce that a resolution was reached in the December 2016 employment discrimination lawsuit that was filed on behalf of Dr. Jaswinder Pal Singh. The employer, a Tennessee-based medical group, has agreed to work with the Sikh Coalition to improve its employment hiring policies so that all qualified job candidates, regardless of their faith or background, will receive fair and equal treatment. For more details, please click here. 

  The Sikh Coalition also invested critical resources into defending and protecting Sikh civil rights by growing the legal team. Amrith Kaur joined as Legal Director in September 2017. In the fall Senior Staff Attorney Julian Darwall and Staff Attorney Gieselle Klapper also joined the team. The legal team will continue to provide the Sikh American community with the best free legal resources in areas of hate crime, employment discrimination, bullying, racial profiling and religious rights. 

  The Sikh Coalition also continues to support other issues by signing on amicus briefs including in support of precedent prohibiting the government from endorsing a particular religion and contesting the cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). 

    

   

   

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