Here’s yet another illustration why employers who shirk management legal compliance training because “we can’t afford it” need to move into the 21st century–fast! 

A security company–Imperial Security, based in Philadelphia–just agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) regarding a security applicant.  During the successful job interview the female applicant wore a headscarf covering her head, ears and neck.  On her first day on the job, the new security guard was wearing the headscarf.  The company told her to remove the headscarf.  The new employee, a Muslin, refused  to remove the headscarf citing religious reasons.  She was then terminated.

Our Blog followers know the rest of the story:  in addition to the $50,000 check, a three-year EEOC consent degree, revised handbook, mandatory annual discrimination training in the workplace, a designated EEOC compliance officer, mandatory reporting to the EEOC how other such issues have been handled, etc., etc., etc.   

Note: All of the above could have been resolved by a simple conversation.  That’s why as strategic Orlando, Florida, Human Resources consultants and business advisors we know that an “ounce of  prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  It worked for Ben Franklin and it works for our clients.

Rick